Ruag and other Swiss companies give in to hackers' demands
Federal arms manufacturer Ruag paid a ransom to hackers despite recommendations from authorities. Many Swiss companies are doing the same in secret.
Ruag and other Swiss companies give in to hackers' demands
Federal arms manufacturer Ruag has admitted to paying a ransom to cybercriminals following an attack on its American subsidiary. This case illustrates a practice far more widespread in Switzerland than appearances suggest.
Swiss authorities have repeated the same message for years: never pay computer hackers. Paying a ransom finances organised cybercrime and encourages attackers. Yet the reality on the ground diverges considerably from these official guidelines.
The criminal hacker group Akira recently targeted Ruag LLC, the federal company's American subsidiary. The attackers stole computer data before threatening to release it on the darkweb if their financial demands were not met. Against the advice of the Federal Office of Cybersecurity, Ruag's management decided to pay.
"We paid a modest sum and fortunately recovered all of the data," said Jürg Rötheli, chairman of the board of directors, in an interview with SRF. This public statement remains exceptional: most Swiss companies and public entities that fall victim to ransomware prefer silence.
According to information from Le Temps, many Swiss companies give in to hackers' demands without ever informing the media or authorities. This hidden phenomenon raises the question of how effective current deterrence policies are in the face of the growing threat of cyberattacks.
Source: Le Temps
Source: Le Temps