No Official Word
Acer manufactures computers. Laptops, desktops, and monitors are what they’re commonly known for. It seems this past week, however, they’ve been concentrating on someone else’s technology.
On March 18th, the Taiwanese tech giant was hit with REvil ransomware. The ransomware gang posted several images of what they claimed were stolen Acer financial files as proof of the attack. Acer, however, has not officially claimed an attack on their systems.
An official statement reads more like a security warning than an announcement.
“Acer routinely monitors its IT systems, and most cyberattacks are well defensed. Companies like us are constantly under attack, and we have reported recent abnormal situations observed to the relevant law enforcement and data protection authorities in multiple countries.”
“We have been continuously enhancing our cybersecurity infrastructure to protect business continuity and our information integrity. We urge all companies and organizations to adhere to cyber security disciplines and best practices, and be vigilant to any network activity abnormalities.” – Acer.
Acer declined further details citing the ongoing investigation.
Largest Ransom Demand To Date
A ransom demand released by REvil on a Tor ransom site outlines the details.
The $50 million price tag is the heftiest seen. Even for a company who reported $7.8 billion in earnings in 2019, $50 million is not easy to navigate. It’s unknown, however, if Acer plans to make the payment.
Security Issues
As Acer mentioned, they and many companies like them are under constant attack. It’s unknown how the breach occurred, but it does make you think about what’s necessary for security. Even a company that does everything right could suffer a breach.
That may seem pretty hopeless, but the best approach is to continue to practice a proactive security plan. Do you know your company’s security plan? Do you practice one at home? What are you doing to continue to keep yourself cyber safe?
Photo by Constant Loubier on Unsplash
