
Aerospace giant Boeing has confirmed that it has faced a major cyberattack from the LockBit group, which is demanding a $200 million ransom for the return of confidential data stolen in October 2023.
In November 2023, hackers released approximately 43 gigabytes of data containing backup copies of software configurations, monitoring logs and audit tools stolen from Boeing’s IT systems. According to reports, this is only part of the stolen data, which casts doubt on the completeness of the breach of the company’s network. Boeing, in its statement, stressed that the incident did not pose a threat to flight safety, although it affected elements of the company’s parts delivery business.
LockBit, a group with ties to Russia, has been active in cyber extortion since late 2019, successfully extorting hundreds of millions of dollars from its victims around the world. Prior to this incident, the United States had officially identified russian citizen Dmytro Yuriyovich Khoroshev as the mastermind behind the LockBit attacks.
The attack on Boeing highlights the growing threat of ransomware, which can make even the most protected corporations pay huge sums. Analysts from Emsisoft point to the need for governments to review their strategies to combat cybercrime, as the potential for their damage only increases.