Olympus has confirmed that it has suffered from a ransomware attack and that the threat group behind it has been identified as "BlackMatter," a successor of popular hackers. The new group comes after DarkSide, REvil, and other popular threat actors that have terrorized different companies in the past.
One of the most notorious hacks in the face of the technology industry would be Kaseya's ransomware brought by REvil. A crime spree of hacking has terrorized the country's tech companies and non-tech tycoons. Included here is the attack against Colonial Pipeline, JBS Meats, and more.
What do these have in common? A ransomware attack from a group that can be hired or payout to carry these breaches.
Olympus Ransomware Attack
Former President of Olympus Corporation, Hiroyuki Sasa announces the companies medium-term vision for the next five years during a press conference in Tokyo on June 8, 2012. Scandal-hit Japanese camera and medical equipment maker Olympus said on June 8 it will cut about seven percent of its workforce -- and book a profit this year -- as it tries to recover from a loss cover-up scandal.
Olympus is now investigating the ransomware attack, to which they released a statement where it explains their status and side for what has happened. The company said that the incident was centered on Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) regions, which happened last a week on September 8.
It took a long time for the company to release a statement, especially as it has been debuted over the weekend, where people have still used or accessed its services. Nevertheless, Olympus said that it is currently looking into the problem and is trying to get to the bottom of it so that people would know its cause and affected tech.
According to Tech Crunch, the primary suspect here would be "BlackMatter," ransomware for a service group that is considered to be in the footsteps of DarkSide and REvil. The country would be facing more ransomware attacks in the future, and efforts against it are being mobilized by the big tech and the government.
Read Also: Ragnarok Ransomware Gang Shuts Down Operations, Provides Master Key to Decrypt Files
What's the Cause?
After initial detection of a breach, the company said that it immediately mobilized a "response team" that would look into the hack and identify the reasons behind it. No other reasons or statements were released after this, and that the suspect was not even name-dropped via the company's release.
Moreover, it gives little clue to what service was affected within the company, something which would concern the public and its users.
Olympus is a known multinational Japanese technology company, which originally focused on optics and reprography products. It is best known for its cameras which have been used in the industry of photography and other forms of media.
BlackMatter Ransomware Group
BlackMatter is a group that is now closely watched by the authorities, particularly because it remains a primary suspect for Olympus' recent ransomware attack.
While nothing is confirmed from the side of Olympus and BlackMatter, it shows a massive threat against the Big Tech companies, as ransomware attacks have lain low during these times.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Isaiah Richard
