TECH NEWS – Newly emerged ransomware group, Ransomed.vc, asserts they’ve breached all Sony systems. They intend to sell the stolen data.

Ransomed.vc claims to have infiltrated Sony and threatens to sell data stolen from the Japanese giant. Although these claims remain unverified, a recent report by Cyber Security Connect mentions that the ransomware group has amassed an “impressive number of victims” since their recent appearance.

The group, on various platforms including the dark web, states: “We have successfully compromised all Sony systems. We won’t ask for a ransom as Sony refuses to pay.”

“WE WILL SELL THE DATA!”

The group has purportedly released some evidence of the hack, though it doesn’t seem convincing at first glance. The evidence includes screenshots, internal PowerPoint presentations, Java files, and a list containing less than 6,000 files. Ransomed.vc promises to sell the data themselves by September 28th if not purchased by then.
The group identifies itself both as ransomware operators and service providers. They claim to operate in compliance with GDPR and other data protection laws, suggesting that they’d be obligated to report to the GDPR if the demanded amount isn’t received. The majority of its members are believed to be from Ukraine and Russia.

Sony was contacted by VGC regarding the incident. Sony, however, has experienced cyber threats before: in 2011, the PlayStation Network faced a significant attack. About 77 million user accounts were jeopardized, resulting in a prolonged service outage.

This attack inflicted serious financial damage on Sony, compelling them to apologize to both gamers and developers. Sony faced more than 55 class-action lawsuits and offered compensation to those affected. Jack Tretton, PlayStation’s American CEO at the time, said that there wouldn’t be a PlayStation without its users, expressing gratitude for their support.

Sources: VGC, Malawarebytes Eurogamer