Garmin computer systems are subject to ransom
Garmin is reportedly being asked to pay a $ 10 million ransom to free his systems from a cyber attack that has wiped out many of his services for two days.
The navigation company was hit by a ransomware attack on Thursday, leaving customers unable to record fitness sessions on Garmin apps and pilots unable to download flight plans for aircraft navigation systems, among other problems. . The company’s communication systems have also been disconnected, leaving it unable to respond to disgruntled customers.
Garmin employees told BleepingComputer that the WastedLocker ransomware brought down the company. The screenshots sent to BleepingComputer show long lists of company files encrypted by the malware, with a ransom note attached to each file.
The ransom note tells the recipient to send one of the two email addresses to “get a price for their data.” That price, Garmin sources have told BleepingComputer, is $ 10 million.
Crippled Garmin
The ransomware attack has paralyzed many of the company’s systems. Reports claim that Garmin’s IT department shut down all of the company’s computers, including those of employees working from home that were connected by VPN, to stop the spread of ransomware across its network.
Garmin factories in Taiwan have reportedly closed production lines yesterday and today, as the company attempts to eliminate ransomware.
The shutdown is having a big effect on Garmin customers. DownDetector reveals a huge increase today in people having trouble accessing Garmin Connect, the app that records exercise routines for company devices. More people are likely to use such devices on weekends.
DownDetector shows how Garmin customers continue to be affected
The problem is even more serious for Garmin aviation device customers. Pilots have told ZDNet that they cannot download a version of Garmin’s aviation database into their aircraft navigation systems, which is a requirement of the FAA.
Garmin has released very few public comments on the issue. On Thursday, the company tweeted saying “We are currently experiencing an outage affecting Garmin Connect,” adding that the outage “also affects our call centers and we are currently unable to receive calls, emails, or online chats.”
Garmin has been contacted for comment, but as you can see from the above statement, that is somewhat complicated …
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