Foxconn, a key supplier for Apple, recently confirmed that its U.S. factories were hit by a cyberattack, following claims by a ransomware group that they had stolen confidential Apple project files. The Nitrogen group, which posted details of the breach on its data leak site, alleged that they had acquired 8TB of data, including over 11 million files. These files reportedly contain not only Apple-related material but also internal project documentation and technical drawings from companies like Intel, Google, Dell, and Nvidia. While Foxconn acknowledged the breach, it did not specify whether customer data was compromised. The company assured that its cybersecurity team had taken measures to maintain production, and that affected factories were back to normal operations. Apple, known for its stringent secrecy regarding unreleased products, typically limits the information shared with suppliers to essential technical details. Nitrogen is suspected to be linked to the Conti 2 ransomware, but experts have warned that a flaw in the group’s encryption software could render the stolen files irretrievable, even if a ransom is paid. Foxconn has faced similar ransomware attacks in the past, including incidents with LockBit in 2022 and 2024.
Were Apple project files stolen in a Foxconn ransomware attack?
