UK Metal Engineering Firm Vesuvius Hit by Cyber-Attack

Vesuvius, a UK-based molten metal flow engineering company issued an alert on February 6, 2023, which stated it was “currently managing a cyber incident, [which] has involved unauthorized access to our systems.”

The London Stock Exchange-listed ceramics manufacturer did not give any information on the nature and scope of the incident, the systems impacted, or the identity of the attacker.

“Immediately upon becoming aware of unauthorized activity on our networks, we have taken the necessary steps to investigate and respond to the incident, including shutting down affected systems. We are working with leading cyber security experts to support our investigations and identify the extent of the issue, including the impact on production and contract fulfillment,” the company said in a statement.

“We are taking steps to comply with all relevant regulatory obligations in light of the information that emerges from our ongoing investigations.”

Shares in Vesuvius fell 3.8% in early trading on February 6, security analyst Graham Cluley reported.

This incident is the latest of a series of cyber-attacks targeting UK companies, with Royal Mail hit in January and Ion, a trading software provider, in early February.