Ferrari customers targeted in ransom-related cyberattack

Ferrari has been targeted by a hacker who is threatening to release data linked to its customers unless the automaker hands over a ransom payment. Ferrari said it’s refusing to pay up.

In a statement posted online on Monday, the company said it had been “recently contacted by a threat actor” who is demanding payment to prevent the release of customer details that include names, addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers. Customers’ payment details, bank account numbers, and details of Ferrari cars owned or ordered are not believed to have been compromised.

The Italian maker of luxury sports cars said it has contacted its customers to notify them of the breach, though it didn’t reveal how many of them are impacted.

Ferrari said that when it received the ransom demand, it immediately contacted a cybersecurity firm, which will seek to find out how the apparent security breach occurred while also working to shore up the carmaker’s computer systems. Law enforcement has also been informed.

“As a policy, Ferrari will not be held to ransom as paying such demands funds criminal activity and enables threat actors to perpetuate their attacks,” the automaker said in the statement. “Instead, we believed the best course of action was to inform our clients and thus we have notified our customers of the potential data exposure and the nature of the incident.”

Ferrari insisted it takes the confidentiality of its customers “very seriously and understands the significance of this incident,” while also confirming that the attack has had zero impact on the company’s operational functions.

If Ferrari keeps its word and refuses to pay the ransom, the details of some very wealthy individuals could fall into the hands of criminals looking for moneyed targets for whatever ruse they may wish to deploy.

Ransom-related cyberattacks take various forms. In this case, it appears that the hacker found a way to steal customer data linked to Ferrari customers and is now threatening to release it online or sell it on to other cybercriminals unless the automaker hands over a payment.

Another type involves the planting of malware on a victim’s computer system, allowing the hacker to encrypt its computer files before demanding a payment to unlock them.

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