FulcrumSec demands 160 million kroner from Novo Nordisk and threatens to sell stolen data
The hacker group FulcrumSec claims to have had access to Novo Nordisk's systems for over two months and is demanding 25 million dollars in ransom.
Hacker group claims to have stolen one terabyte of data from Novo Nordisk
The cyber-extortion group FulcrumSec claims to have demanded 25 million dollars – equivalent to 160 million kroner – from the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, according to TV 2 Nyheder, citing news agency Reuters.
The group states on its website that it has had unauthorised access to Novo Nordisk's IT systems for more than two months and during that period has stolen one terabyte of data.
According to the group, the stolen material contains confidential information about both released and unreleased medicines as well as data on employees, doctors and patients.
Since Novo Nordisk allegedly refused to meet the demand, FulcrumSec is now investigating the possibility of selling part of the material. Reuters has been unable to verify the authenticity of the data that the group has published online.
In a statement to the news outlet Finans, Novo Nordisk confirms knowledge of the matter.
"We are aware of the allegation that data, which is allegedly copied externally without permission from our systems, has been published online. We take this seriously and continue to maintain the operation of our platforms. We are in contact with the relevant authorities," the company states.
Six days ago, Novo Nordisk announced in a press release that the company had been subjected to a cyber attack, and that an unauthorised party had had access to the company's internal IT systems. Data had been stolen in connection with the attack, the statement indicated.
The company disclosed neither whether it had knowledge of those responsible nor precisely when the incident occurred.
Source: TV 2 Nyheder