Play ransomware touts Garner Foods hack

Cybernews reports that North Carolina-based hot sauce and salsa manufacturer Garner Foods was allegedly compromised by the Play ransomware gang, which threatened to expose data pilfered from the firm's systems by Jan. 7 should it refuse to fulfill the demanded ransom.

In a post on its dark leak site on Friday, Play claimed to have stolen Garner Foods' financial information, private and personal confidential data, client files, budget, payroll, taxes, and IDs. Additional details on the amount of data obtained from Garner Foods' systems were not provided. Garner Foods, which has yet to comment on Play's assertions, previously announced the implementation of a modern Enterprise Resource Planning system that consolidated multiple business functions.

Attacks by the Play ransomware operation have affected 364 organizations last year, including New York-based clothing manufacturer Esquire Brands, which was claimed to have been breached on New Year's Eve. Such a toll has made Play the third most prolific ransomware cartel of 2025, only behind the Qilin and Clop groups.