Boeing has confirmed that it is dealing with a cyberattack that targeted its global services division, which provides parts and distribution for the aerospace company.
In a statement on Wednesday, Boeing said the cyber incident affected elements of its distribution services business but did not impact flight safety. The company is actively investigating the attack and working with law enforcement and regulators.
The Boeing Company is the world's largest aerospace company, the largest U.S. manufacturing exporter and the leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems.
Last week, the Russian-tied cyber gang Lockbit claimed it would release sensitive Boeing data if a ransom was not paid by November 2nd.
However, on Wednesday evening Boeing's name disappeared from the Lockbit's leak site without any message. It is to be noted that, When organizations are removed from leak sites, it often means either that the organization has paid the ransom or that it’s agreed to negotiate.
Regarding the payment or negotiation of the Ransome, a Boeing spokeswoman declined to comment.
The company is notifying customers and suppliers affected by the incident.
While flight safety has not been compromised, the cyberattack underscores the growing threat hackers pose to critical infrastructure and sensitive corporate data. Boeing says it coordinates with government and law enforcement to mitigate the attack.
Lockbit is among the most notorious hacking gangs, often deploying ransomware to lock up victims’ files and then demanding payment to unlock them. More recently, hacking gangs have been stealing documents and demanding payment to not release them publicly.
The aerospace giant is the latest in a string of high-profile ransomware victims. The frequency and scale of such attacks have increased concerns over cyber vulnerabilities in both the public and private sectors. Boeing has not indicated what data, if any, may have been stolen during the incident.