Hackers attack ThyssenKrupp's materials division

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Thyssenkrupp blast furnaces: Crisis management team set up

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The industrial group Thyssenkrupp is currently struggling with an attack by hackers.

"Thyssenkrupp is currently the target of a cyber attack - presumably by organized crime," a company spokesman told SPIEGEL on request.

The "Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung" had previously reported on the attack.

Parts of the international trading business with materials such as steel and the group headquarters are currently affected.

It can be ruled out at this point in time that other parts of Thyssenkrupp are affected by the cyber attack.

The group also includes steelworks and naval shipbuilding, for example.

Just a few days ago, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems christened two submarines for the Singapore Navy.

In the past fiscal year 2021/22, Materials Services was Thyssenkrupp's top-selling division with 16.4 billion euros.

The group's so-called "Cyber ​​Defense Center" recognized the incident early on, the spokesman said, and is currently restoring the security of the systems.

A crisis team has been set up.

We are working to limit the attack and end it as soon as possible.

"At this point in time, no damage has occurred, nor are there any indications that data has been stolen or altered," the spokesman said.

The authorities were also involved.

Accordingly, the effects of the attack could not be compared with what the automotive supplier Continental had to struggle with in November.

In the attack, which is said to have been carried out by the Lockbit hacker group, the attackers were apparently able to copy around 40 terabytes of data from the company's systems.

In addition, the attackers are said to have demanded a ransom from the company.

Continental confirmed the attack and the amount of data leaked.

The intrusion into the company's IT systems was reportedly discovered in August, more than a month after the attack began.

There were no ransom payments.

An investigation into the incident "with the support of external cyber security experts" was initiated at the time, it said.

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