Ransomware gang leaks stolen Apple MacBook blueprints
Ransomware operators seek a record $50 million for the stolen Apple data
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The notorious REvilransomwaregroup claims to have accessed large quantities of data belonging to several top-tier tech vendors, includingApple, HPE,Lenovo, Cisco,Microsoftand others.
Uncharacteristically, it leaked some of the ill-gotten information ahead ofApple’s Spring Loadedevent last night.
In a screenshot of the leak published byThe Record, the ransomware gang claims it got hold of the “large quantities of confidential drawings and gigabytes of personal data” from Quanta Computer, a Taiwan-based manufacturer that fabricateslaptopsand other devices for some of the leading tech vendors.
We’re looking at how our readers use VPN for a forthcoming in-depth report. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the survey below. It won’t take more than 60 seconds of your time.
Click here to start the survey in a new window«
“In order not to wait for the upcomingApplepresentations, today we, the REvil group, will provide data on the upcoming releases of the company so beloved by many,” said the hackers.
Not quite right
In its leak, the gang said it has grabbed data on several products, including theApple Watch,MacBook Air,MacBook Pro, and theLenovoThinkPad Z60m.
The post also threatened that “more and more files will be added every day,” and demanded that Apple pays the ransom by May 1.
The leaked files seem to include schematics for a laptop, though it isn’t clear if the depicted information is indeed sensitive as claimed.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Furthermore, the mention of the ThinkPad Z60m raises eyebrows, since that particular laptop was released over a decade and a half ago, back in 2005.
An ananymous source familiar with the negotiations with Quanta Computer toldThe Recordthat REvil has put up a $50 million ransom demand. This is the same amount that itasked Acer forlast month, though there has been no follow-up from either side on that incident.
Apple toldThe Recordthat “it was looking into the incident and had nothing to share at the moment.”
This article has been amended to reflect thatDellTechnologies does not have a relationship with Quanta, which means REvil doesn’t have any documents related to the popular PC vendor as claimed by the ransomware group in their leak.
ViaThe Record
With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’sTechRadar Pro’sexpert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.
Washington state court systems taken offline following cyberattack
Is it still worth using Proton VPN Free?
MacBook Air OLED reportedly delayed until at least 2028 – here’s why
