Switzerland-based Schlatter Industries has said that its IT network was compromised by a malware attack last Friday, 9 August 2024. The company claims to have swiftly initiated appropriate security measures and notified the relevant authorities. An ongoing investigation seeks to determine the extent of the breach and whether data theft occurred.
Schlatter Industries highlighted the sophistication of the attack, describing it as a professional criminal cyber-assault aimed at extorting the company. According to a statement on the company’s website, the incident appears to have compromised its ability to communicate with customers. “We would like to inform you that we are currently…unable to receive emails,” wrote Schlatter Industries. “Our team is working diligently to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.”
Manufacturers like Schlatter Industries tempting targets
Founded in 1916, Schlatter Industries specialises in engineering plants for resistance welding systems and producing weaving and finishing equipment for paper machine clothing, wire fabrics, and wire mesh. According to a statement on the firm’s website, the company was attacked by an unidentified cybercriminal group on Friday. “The unknown perpetrators,” said Schlatter Industries, “are attempting to blackmail [the firm.]” The company added that the resolution of this incident and the safety of its systems are top priorities as it navigates the aftermath of the cyber-attack.
In the ongoing year, the manufacturing industry continued to face severe cyber threats with several notable incidents reported. PSI Software, a provider of control systems, revealed a ransomware attack in February that caused a complete shutdown of its IT operations, disrupting business activities for several weeks.
Concurrently, Mitsubishi Electric Machines encountered a significant security flaw in February, posing a risk that attackers could remotely take control of its systems.
Additionally, in March, Oracle E-Business Suite, widely utilised across manufacturing firms, was compromised by a threat group. This group exploited system vulnerabilities to steal data and potentially disrupt further manufacturing operations.
Throughout 2023 the manufacturing sector was hit hard by several significant cyberattacks, emphasising the industry’s vulnerability. Notably, Brunswick, a boating manufacturer, reported a cyberattack in June that disrupted its operations for nine days, leading to approximately $85m in losses. This incident also involved the compromise of employee personal information.
In a separate event, Clorox faced a cybersecurity incident in August that required the company to take certain systems offline, resulting in about $49m in related costs.
Read more: Human error primary cause of data breaches at UK law firms
