The Russian hacking group, LockBit, has issued a threat to disclose internal data from Pelmorex, the parent company of The Weather Network, on the dark web. This comes in the wake of a cyberattack that disrupted the operations of the
Canadian company for several days last week. Pelmorex, headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, not only owns The Weather Network but also manages MétéoMédia, El Tiempo in Spain, and Canada’s AlertReady system.
Karen Kheder, Pelmorex's director of communications and administration, stated that, based on current knowledge, the attackers gained limited access to publicly available information. She revealed this information to The Globe and Mail.
LockBit has claimed to possess databases from Pelmorex's network, including access codes to the company's digital servers. The group has announced its intention to release this data via its dark web platform.
Kheder refrained from commenting on whether a ransom demand has been made, saying that any updates or changes in their findings would be communicated in accordance with the law.
LockBit employs a 'ransomware as a service' business model, wherein hackers often act independently but may share a portion of the ransom with the group. According to Canada's Communications Security Establishment, LockBit was responsible for approximately 22% of all ransomware attacks in Canada last year, making it the most prevalent digital threat.
In response to the breach, Pelmorex has enlisted the assistance of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for an investigation, which is believed to be linked to a third-party software provider. The RCMP has not provided any comments on the ongoing investigation.
Kheder assured that the majority of Pelmorex's operations have been restored and that their apps and systems are now secure for use. However, she cautioned that users may encounter intermittent system downtimes and glitches as the company strives to return to normal operations.
Pelmorex is encouraging Canadians to update their Weather Network apps and has expressed apologies for any inconvenience caused by the incident.