Akira Ransomware Gang Takes Responsibility for Recent Nissan Cyberattack

In a shocking revelation, Nissan Motor Corporation and Nissan Financial Services in Australia and New Zealand fell victim to a cyber attack in early December.

The carmaker officially confirmed on December 22 that an "unauthorized third party" had illicitly breached its network systems in the mentioned regions, setting off alarm bells for cybersecurity agencies and law enforcement.

The Akira ransomware gang has announced that they are the ones who breached the sensitive employee data of the automaker.

Akira Ransomware Group Claims Responsibility

In an official announcement posted on its website, Nissan announced that it is actively investigating the breach's extent and impact on sensitive information.

Right now, the company is working diligently to assess the compromised data, emphasizing transparency in its communication with cybersecurity agencies, privacy regulators, and law enforcement in Australia and New Zealand.

Previously, Nissan is playing the guessing game to know the responsible group behind the data breach. Now, they already have the answers at the back.

The ominous Akira ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the cyber attack on Nissan.

Boasting about the theft of a staggering 100 gigabytes of data, including corporate files and personal information of employees, Akira has escalated the situation by threatening to expose the pilfered data unless a ransom is paid promptly.

Akira's Modus Operandi

In the United States alone, the cybercriminals operating under the Akira gang have attacked approximately 180 organizations.

Since it is a popular group targeting several industries, it's also tied to the notorious Conti hackers. The latter had reportedly attacked Ireland's healthcare system in 2021.

Akira's brazen tactics involve encrypting data and coercing victims into paying a ransom, with a history of leaking information if their demands are not met.

Industry-Wide Cybersecurity Concerns

Nissan is only one of many car manufacturers that unfortunately encountered data breaches. Until now, the company is grappling with the consequences that the cybercriminals brought to its cybersecurity system.

As per Security Week, Toyota Germany also suffered from a major cyberattack in a parallel incident. The breach reportedly compromised the personal information of customers.

Back in May, Toyota also unveiled that the separate incident exposed a lot of customer information across Asia and Oceania for over six years.

According to the carmaker, the hackers were able to access the data from October 2016 to May 2023. Japan was exempted from the cyberattack and remained unaffected at that time.

Meanwhile, Tech Times reported in March that another automaker confirmed that their data might have been compromised by outsiders.

As per the previous report, Ferrari said that the ransomware attack restricted their IT systems. They told the customers that their client database had been breached.

As cyber threats continue to evolve, the automotive industry finds itself in the crosshairs of cybercriminals, emphasizing the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive data and customer privacy.