In April, Brenntag, a global chemical distribution company, was hit by a ransomware attack. The DarkSide hacker group claimed responsibility, extracting a significant ransom payment. The attack resulted in a major data breach and highlighted the increasing risk of cyber attacks in the chemical industry.
Affected vertical: Chemical industry, specifically distribution.
MITRE Tactics:
- Initial Access (TA0001): The adversaries likely gained access to the network through phishing, exploitation of public-facing applications, or other means.
- Execution (TA0002): The ransomware was executed on Brenntag’s servers, encrypting critical files and threatening operations.
- Persistence (TA0003): The ransomware ensured its continued presence on the infected system.
- Privilege Escalation (TA0004): The ransomware likely exploited vulnerabilities to gain high-level privileges.
- Impact (TA0040): The attack resulted in a significant data breach and disruption of Brenntag’s operations.
- Exfiltration (TA0010): The attackers exfiltrated sensitive data before encrypting the systems, using it as leverage for ransom negotiations.
Further Reading: