Ransomware attack on Picanol paralyzes production at plants in Belgium, Romania, and China

On January 13, 2020, Picanol Group, a large manufacturer of high-tech weaving machines, fell victim to a massive ransomware attack, which severely disrupted operations at the company’s manufacturing plants in Belgium, Romania, and China. So far, no information has been released on the malware used in the attack.

The attack was discovered during the night when Picanol employees in China were unable to access IT systems. Similar issues also arose in Ypres in Belgium. The company has practically stopped its operations. Picanol’s 2300 employees are temporarily out of work.

According to mass media reports, the company’s representatives have contacted the attackers, but no information on the ransom amount is available.

Picanol Group is working with external experts to solve the attack and minimize its effect on the company’s operation and employees. According to the official statement published on the Picanol Group website, production is not expected to recover before the end of this week.

The relevant authorities and services have been informed about the ransomware attack on Picanol.

Source: Picanol Group