Foxconn, the electronics manufacturing giant that makes devices and components for tech giants including Apple, Google, Nvidia and Sony, acknowledged on Monday that it had suffered a cyber attack and some of its factories may have been affected.
In a statement sent to the press, Foxconn said the cyberattack affected its facilities in North America and that “the affected factories are now resuming normal production.”
Ransomware group Nitrogen claimed responsibility for the Foxconn breach in a statement on its dark web leak site. The group publicizes its victims in order to blackmail them. Typically, hacking groups release stolen data if victims do not pay the fee.
Hackers claim to have stolen over 11 million files containing sensitive information from the following companies:
Foxconn customers (Apple, Dell, Google, Intel, Nvidia, etc.). As proof, the hackers released several images that appear to be product schematics, guidelines, and bank statements.
Nitrogen is a dual extortion ransomware group. This means that hackers can not only encrypt files to prevent victims from accessing them, but also steal the files in the first place so they can threaten that the stolen data will be leaked. This strategy effectively gives Nitrogen two means of monetizing its crimes.
Foxconn did not immediately respond to a series of specific questions about the attack.