Cyberattack on Fresnillo compromises data, threatens industries

One of the world’s leading silver-producing companies, Fresnillo, disclosed that a cybercriminal operation accessed the data they stored on its network. This campaign could potentially cause disruptions to various industries as this entity also produces gold, copper, and zinc.

In a security filing earlier this week, the mining company admitted that it had been the subject of a cybercriminal campaign that resulted in unauthorised access to its data and IT systems. Moreover, the company claimed that after identifying the illegal access, they immediately controlled the incident and deployed their security team to examine and assess its impact.

They also assured everyone that they had contacted relevant authorities to help them address the cybercriminal activity. The company further stated that the cyberattack did not impact its operations and did not expect any financial or material damages.

Fresnillo assured its business partners and relevant parties that the attack had no significant effect on its overall operation. Still, they will evaluate the attack until they remediate the incident.

 

Fresnillo PLC insisted they are critical with their cybersecurity to prevent these incidents.

 

According to reports, Fresnillo takes its cyber defences very seriously and will continue to thoroughly examine the recent incident and take all relevant steps to eliminate any concerns.

This firm operates eight mines, all of which are in Mexico, four advanced development projects, and some other long-term exploration opportunities. The attack could also concern investors as Fresnillo is listed on the London (FRES:LSE) and Mexican (FRES:BMV) stock exchanges and owns mining concessions and exploration projects in Mexico, Peru, and Chile.

Last month, Northern Minerals, an Australian mining business, also announced a security incident where the BianLian ransomware group posted alleged stolen data from its network (including corporate, operational, and financial information) on the dark web.

The cybersecurity community is not new to these attacks against mining companies. Threat actors have been attracted to this industry because they know that if they can successfully execute their attack, they can earn substantial money through extortion.