Akira ransomware alleges midsized company attack spree

Eleven midsized companies, most of which are based in the U.S., were claimed to have been compromised by the Akira ransomware operation, Cybernews reports.

In a post on its data leak site, Akira noted having breached leading wholesale flooring product distributor Tom Duffy Corporation, construction management services provider Burke Contracting, specialty door manufacturer Pawling, major pulp mill Cascade Pacific Pulp, and Swiss telecommunications network and electrical installer Bugnard, among others.

Meanwhile, the pilfered information ranged from personal details, such as names, Social Security numbers, and medical data, to corporate financial data, such as audits, non-disclosure agreements, and contracts. While smaller construction, manufacturing, and aviation firms have been attractive targets to ransomware groups due to their inadequate cybersecurity practices, most of the listed firms may not have been directly hit by Akira, according to Cybernews Senior Information Security Researcher Aras Nazarovas.

"They were rather some of the easiest to exploit software vulnerabilities, leaked credentials, and social engineering techniques against," said Nazarovas.