A ransomware group claims to have breached ‘all Sony systems’

Ransomware group Ransomed.vc claims to have successfully breached Sony Group and is threatening to sell a cache of data stolen from the Japanese company.

While its claims remain unverified, Cyber Security Connect reports that the relative ransomware newcomer “has racked up an impressive amount of victims” since bursting onto the scene last month.

“We have successfully compromissed [sic] all of sony systems,” the group claimed on both the clear and dark nets. “We won’t ransom them! We will sell the data. Due to Sony not wanting to pay. DATA IS FOR SALE.”

According to Cyber Security Connect, the group has posted some proof-of-hack data, although it says this is “not particularly compelling information on the face of things”.

It includes what appear to be screenshots of an internal log-in page, an internal PowerPoint presentation, several Java files, and a file tree of the leak which seemingly includes fewer than 6,000 files.

The group listed a “post date” of September 28, after which if nobody purchases the data, is presumably when Ransomed.vc will publish the data wholesale.

Ransomed.vc is said to be both a ransomware operator and a ransomware-as-a-service organisation.

It claims to be a “secure solution for addressing data security vulnerabilities within companies”, and also to be operating “in strict compliance with GDPR and Data Privacy Laws”.

“In cases where payment is not received, we are obligated to report a Data Privacy Law violation to the GDPR agency!” the group says.

Most of the Ransomed.vc’s members reportedly operate out of Ukraine and Russia.

VGC has contacted Sony for comment on this report and will update it if we hear back from the company.

In 2011, Sony’s PlayStation Network suffered a massive breach that resulted in the personal details of approximately 77 million accounts being compromised and the service being taken offline for 23 days.

Sony initially estimated the hack would cost it more than $100m, and it was forced to apologise not only to players, but developers whose game launches were disrupted or whose online services were left unavailable.

Sony eventually faced as many as 55 class action lawsuits and agreed to offer compensation for those affected, including free games.

“You are the lifeblood of the company,” PlayStation‘s US boss Jack Tretton said at the time. “Without you, there is no PlayStation. I want to apologise personally. It’s you that causes us to be humbled and amazed by the support you continue to give.”

To Sony’s third-party publishing partners, Tretton said: “I know the outage has been costly. We wouldn’t be where we are without you”. He added: “We are committed more than ever to making sure the PlayStation experience is entertaining and secure for everybody”.