Ransomed.vc, a ransomware group, asserts that it has breached Sony’s systems and is now offering to sell the stolen data. While Sony has not officially confirmed the breach, the group has a track record of targeting victims and has provided evidence of the alleged hack.
Sony has not responded to these claims. If Ransomed.vc’s account of the situation is accurate, it suggests that negotiations with Sony have broken down, and the group is now marketing the stolen data. However, it remains unclear whether the data includes sensitive business information, personal user details, or a combination of both.
Cyber Security Connect initially documented the apparent hack by Ransomed.vc. Although the group is relatively new, it has already targeted a significant number of victims. Their website boldly states, “We have successfully compromissed all of sony systems [sic]. We won’t ransom them! We will sell the data. Due to Sony not wanting to pay. DATA IS FOR SALE […] WE ARE SELLING IT.”
Despite these claims, Cyber Security Connect remains skeptical about Ransomed.vc’s assertion that it has accessed “all” of Sony’s files, citing the relatively small file sizes advertised by the group. Nevertheless, if any information on Sony’s business plans or personal accounts of PlayStation users were to be exposed, it could have significant consequences for the company.
This shift in tactics is a departure from Ransomed.vc’s previous approach, as documented by Flashpoint in August. The group previously targeted companies to find data protection law violations, such as GDPR breaches, and then extorted these companies by threatening to report the infractions to regulators. In the case of Sony, negotiations appear to have been abandoned in favor of making the information available to the highest bidder.
Ransomed.vc attempts to legitimize its actions by invoking GDPR regulations, even as it potentially contemplates leaking private user information if it indeed has gained access to such data. Their self-description claims, “We offer a secure solution for addressing data security vulnerabilities within companies… Our operations are conducted in strict compliance with GDPR and Data Privacy Laws. In cases where payment is not received, we are obligated to report a Data Privacy Law violation to the GDPR agency!”
No data has been publicly disclosed yet, and the authenticity of Ransomed.vc’s breach of Sony remains unverified. Sony is expected to provide an official statement in the coming days.
