Quanta Computer Inc (廣達電腦) yesterday confirmed that it had recently been subject to a cyberattack, but said that its operations have not been affected.
“Quanta Computer’s information security team has worked with external [information technology] experts in response to cyberattacks on a small number of Quanta servers,” the company said in a statement.
“We’ve reported to and have maintained seamless communications with the relevant law enforcement and data protection authorities concerning recent abnormal activities. There has been no material impact on the company’s business operations,” it said.
Photo: CNA
Its information security defense system was activated immediately and it has resumed internal services affected by the incident, the company said.
It is upgrading its cybersecurity infrastructure to protect its data, it said.
Quanta, the leading notebook manufacturer and one of Apple Inc’s business partners, was asked by ransomware gang REvil to pay a US$100 million after the group allegedly stole “a lot of confidential data” from Quanta’s network, including Apple product blueprints.
REvil, also known as Sodinokibi, on Tuesday published a blog on its Web site in which it claimed to have infiltrated Quanta’s computer network.
However, Quanta refused to communicate with the Russian gang or pay them, a report by the Bleeping Computer technology news Web site said.
Ransomware is a type of malicious code that typically encrypts data or a network of computers. The hackers then demand a ransom to decrypt the information, or a promise from the hackers not to sell their secret documents.
Quanta is the latest target on a list of Taiwanese technology companies, including PC brand Acer Inc (宏碁) and contract notebook maker Compal Electronics Inc (仁寶電腦), that have been attacked by ransomware in the past few months.
Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Ann Kao (高虹安), a former vice president of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co’s (鴻海精密) industrial big data office, yesterday called on the government to develop concrete plans to help domestic tech companies combat cyberattacks.
The attacks show that most Taiwanese companies have a serious lack of experts in the cybersecurity field, Kao said.
These attacks are resulting in tremendous losses for local enterprises and are creating an overall crisis in Taiwan’s world-renowned tech industry, she said, adding that the government should propose a defensive strategy as soon as possible.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
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