Ransomware Gang Threatens Elon Musk – Allegedly Stolen SpaceX Blueprints

An explosive threat was published on Monday evening on the leak site of the infamous ransomware gang Lockbit: the cybercriminals announce the auction of building plans for space company SpaceX.

It is said to be about 3,000 technical drawings, certified by SpaceX engineers, that were allegedly stolen from SpaceX supplier Maximum Industries.

laughed Elon Musk

Apparently, the victim is not willing to pay the presumably high amount that the blackmailers demand. That is why they are now threatening to auction off the stolen documents. As proof, they released three screenshots. One shows a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) coming from SpaceX and targeting Maximum Industries.

The message on the anonymous website also mocked the SpaceX boss: “Elon Musk, we will help you sell your drawings to other manufacturers – build the ship faster and fly away.”

Damage potential unclear

The criminals announced that the auction would start on March 20. A timer is running at the leak site, indicating the time remaining until the alleged release.

According to information on its website, Maximum Industries manufactures high-precision components that are cut using high-pressure waterjet and laser technology.

Comments from Inside-it.ch:

Neither SpaceX nor Maximum Industries would comment, according to the online medium The Register, which announced the case.

Another suspected LockBit victim, Britain’s Royal Mail, resumed international mail in February after severely curtailing operations following a “cyber incident” the previous month. The company refused to pay an “absurd” $80 million ransom demand.

LockBit 3.0 (also known as LockBit Black) is an evolution of malware believed to have been developed in Russia. The providers operate “ransomware as a service” (RaaS), ie they make the attack tools available to third parties for a fee.

Sources

(dsc)