FBI Investigates Cyberattack on Kansas Controls Manufacturer Micro-Comm
Summary
The FBI is investigating a malware attack on Micro-Comm. The Barracuda group claimed responsibility and said it published nearly 850,000 files; the company said credentials were not included and advised customers to change passwords.
Key points
- Micro-Comm said it discovered the breach on July 31; the FBI confirmed it is in contact with the company and coordinating with other law enforcement agencies.
- The Barracuda ransomware group claimed responsibility and said it published nearly 850,000 files totaling about 644 GB on August 6.
- Co-owner Jim Cote said the files did not contain passwords or user credentials, or information about Micro-Comm’s remote-access capabilities.
- A customer notice described a limited malware attack and said confidential information in the files was encrypted. The company advised customers to change passwords as a precaution.
- The FBI reportedly told Micro-Comm the data leak was opportunistic and not aimed directly at the company.
- Micro-Comm said its case was unrelated to reported breaches of water systems. A researcher cautioned that file publication does not mean water-system operations were compromised, though the information could be useful to attackers.
Article Details
- Victim Organization
- Micro-Comm
- Incident Type
- Cyberattack involving malware, with a ransomware group claiming responsibility and publishing company files
- Data Types Exposed
- Confidential company information; specific data types were not disclosed
- Affected Records
- The Barracuda group claimed to have published nearly 850,000 company files.
- Affected Data Size
- Approximately 644 GB, according to the Barracuda group.
- Operational Impact
- Micro-Comm reported a limited malware attack. The article does not report that water-system operations were compromised; a researcher cautioned that file publication alone did not establish such a compromise.
- Ransom Or Extortion
- The Barracuda group claimed responsibility and published files it described as company data. No ransom demand is reported. Micro-Comm said confidential information in the files was encrypted; passwords and user credentials were reportedly not included.
- Claim Status
- confirmed