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French defence company Naval Group said it has been targeted by potential cyber attackers who claim to have accessed sensitive data relating to its submarines and frigates.
The ship and submarine maker said on Saturday evening that it had been the target of a “reputational attack” by hackers in a “context marked by international, business and informational tensions”. No ransom demand has been made.
The hackers have published 30 gigabytes of information in an online forum that they claim relates to the combat management system of Naval’s submarines and frigates, and said they have 1 terabyte of data.
Naval is currently analysing the authenticity of the documents published. It said it had not detected any intrusion in its systems, that it had begun an investigation and that it is working with the French government.
“All our teams and resources are currently mobilised to analyse and verify the authenticity, origins and ownership of the data as quickly as possible,” the company said in a statement. “At this stage, no intrusion into our IT [systems] has been detected and there has been no impact on our activities.”
The company has not contacted the hackers, in line with its cyber security procedures. Naval said it has notified legal authorities in France about the incident, given the seriousness of the claims the hackers had made about accessing sensitive information and the “need to protect the data of our clients”.
While the impact of the hack remains unclear, the prospect of a cyber attack on a leading provider of military equipment is significant. As well as supplying the French navy, Naval has contracts with navies and governments around the world to supply submarines, ships and defence systems.
The company is majority owned by the French state, while Thales Group also holds a 35 per cent stake.
The French defence ministry declined to comment.
