Hacker gang Play is also behind the attack on the Saxon community in Western Switzerland

A threatening letter has been published on the leak site of the hacker and extortion gang Play that affects the municipality of Saxon in Valais.

This makes it clear who is behind the cyber attack that was made public last Friday.

The unknown criminals threaten to publish stolen data on the dark web. It deals with “private and personal confidential data, finances, human resources, contracts, personnel documents”.

The extent of the data theft is unknown.

The hacker gang Play is also behind the ransomware attack on the companies CH Media and NZZ.

Police confirmed the attack

The unknown perpetrators had managed to penetrate the IT system of the guardianship authority (SOC) of the municipality of Saxony, the Valais cantonal police said on April 28.

When asked by news agency Keystone-SDA, SOC Saxon director Pascal Fournier said it was the first time his agency had been hit by a cyber attack. His office is responsible for the municipalities of Saxon, Fully, Leytron, Riddes and Isérables.

According to the press release at the time, the attackers launched the actual encryption attack last Saturday night (April 22). It is not clear how long they had previously stayed in the foreign network and secretly “exfiltrated” i.e. stolen data.

The Cantonal Police Department’s cybercrime department is also trying to find out how the attackers managed to penetrate the IT system. The public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation.

Sources

With material from the Keystone-SDA news agency

(dsc)