According to Western Digital, data was stolen from its systems during a “network security incident.” Investigators are still trying to determine the extent of the damage caused by the attack, but it’s possible that sensitive information such as financial records and customer information was compromised.
Western Digital has said that an unauthorized third party gained access to its systems on March 26, but has not yet revealed what type of incident this may be. The company is believed to have been hit with ransomware in connection with the intrusion, and although Western Digital hasn’t confirmed this, their statement suggests that the breach is specifically linked to malware.
The company is working to determine the nature and scope of the data that was taken and may have impacted customer accounts.
The incident appears to have been the work of a lone individual or small team, rather than the work of a larger, more organized ransomware group. This could suggest that the attacker has little interest in money or furthering their own agenda, and is instead focused on causing disruption and chaos.
Western Digital confirmed that a data breach has taken place, and that customer files are at risk. The company is working to restore its My Cloud network-attached storage (NAS) service as quickly as possible, but warns customers that they may experience disruptions while the service is down.
As Western Digital works to secure its business operations, it is investigating the incident with an unnamed cybersecurity firm. The company is also cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation. In light of this incident, it’s important that businesses take proactive measures to protect themselves from cyberattacks. By having a strategy in place for monitoring and protecting against online threats, companies can reduce their risk of being impacted by a similar incident in the future.
WD’s failure to respond to TechGround’s questions is troubling considering how vital an information source the company is. WD has long been a go-to supplier of hard drives and other storage devices, so any sign that it can’t keep up with the competition would be serious news.
