"Hackers Steal Power Utility Customer Data"

Sargent & Lundy, a Chicago-based construction and engineering firm that develops power grids, has informed customers that "unauthorized activity" has resulted in the theft of names and Social Security numbers. According to the company's website, Sargent & Lundy has designed 958 power plant units and over 6,200 circuit miles of power distribution systems. According to a CNN report, a memo issued to members of an information-sharing group in the electricity industry states that hackers employed Black Basta ransomware against Sargent & Lundy. The legal company handling Sargent & Lundy's breach notification suspects that hackers stole the personal information of more than 6,900 individuals. In April 2022, the Black Basta ransomware gang appeared. This group is notorious for employing double-extortion strategies as they later exploit stolen sensitive files and information to blackmail individuals by threatening to disclose the data unless the demanded ransom is paid. Cyberattacks on the power grid are emblematic of nightmare scenarios involving the hacking of critical infrastructure. In 2015, Russia effectively caused more than 230,000 Ukrainians to lose power during the winter, which lasted up to six hours in certain locations. Earlier in 2022, it attempted a similar attack on a greater scale but was thwarted by defenders. This article continues to discuss the recent cyberattack against Sargent & Lundy that led to the theft of personal data on over 6,900 people. 

DataBreachToday reports "Hackers Steal Power Utility Customer Data"