OT Security

Mackay Sugar hit by cyberattack during crucial processing season

Plain code with the word "cyberattack" in red.

Coverage from Security Affairs indicates that Mackay Sugar, Australia's second-largest sugar producer, disclosed a cyberattack on June 10, which has potentially impacted its key processing operations during the critical crushing season.

The cyberattack on Mackay Sugar occurred during its peak crushing season, forcing two of its three mills offline and disrupting operations. The company has engaged cybersecurity experts and is working on restoring systems, with limited manual operations restarting at one mill by June 12. The Gentlemen ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack and added Mackay Sugar to its data leak site, though no data has been leaked as of June 15. This group, known for its prolific victim count and affiliate model, uses AI-assisted tooling and credentials stolen by infostealers.

The extent of data compromise and whether operational technology was directly affected remains unclear, posing challenges for a full operational restart. The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber threats, with significant implications for the agricultural supply chain and the company's growers and harvesters who face potential losses due to delays.

Source: Security Affairs

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