The French software company Atos has denied the data theft claims of the Space Bears ransomware group. The affected entity is a software company that secures the French military and secret services.
This France-based company is home to roughly 82,000 workers and has an annual turnover of approximately €10 billion.
Space Bears claims that it stole a database owned by Atos.
According to reports, the Space Bears ransomware group claimed on December 28 last year that it breached the Atos network and stole its database. In addition, the group revealed that they will publish the purported stolen database on its dark web data leak site this week.
These attackers are a relatively new cybercriminal faction that began operating in April last year. Moreover, the threat actors are notorious for using double extortion tactics. This tactic allows them to force their victims to pay a ransom while threatening to disclose the stolen material online if they do not pay.
The group has been building its notoriety after adding at least 45 victims worldwide and several industrial sectors to its data leak platform. Researchers claim that these attackers execute this strategy to force their victims to comply with their demands.
On the other hand, Atos refuted these allegations after explaining that its initial examination revealed no signs of compromise or ransomware affecting any of its systems in any country. Furthermore, the company replied to inquiries about the alleged hack and claimed they were all false.
A subsequent statement also revealed that the company had not identified any compromise to Atos-managed infrastructure, no source code was viewed, and no Atos IP or proprietary data were shown.
However, the French software firm insisted that the Space Bears threat actors only compromised disconnected external third-party infrastructure while including data mentioning the company’s name, which Atos neither maintained nor secured.
Both claims have yet to be verified; potentially affected parties must remain ready for possible outcomes that might appear in the coming weeks.
