Seiko reports data breack, attacked by BlackCat ransomware group

Seiko, a Japanese watch manufacturer, confirmed that they had a data breach that resulted from a cyber attack targeting their systems.

Seiko Group Corporation, report that on July 28th they experienced a potential data breach. It was revealed that an unidentified individual or group managed to gain unauthorized access to at least one of the company's servers. In response, on August 2nd, Seiko engaged the services of external cybersecurity experts to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident. A company notice stated, "As a result, we are now reasonably certain that there was a breach and that some information stored by our Company and/or our Group companies may have been compromised."

There are no details available as to the nature of the attack nor the severity of the breach, and whether it includes customer data or intellectual property.

The BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware gang has added Seiko to the list of victims showcased on its data leak website. The cybercriminal group has released samples of purportedly exfiltrated data from the company's network, which includes items like passport scans and designs for new watch projects.

BlackCat has made a standardized claim that they perceive Seiko's networks and products to possess inadequate security measures.

Update - as of 30th August, BlackCat leaked some of the stolen data, containing technical information such as lab tests, production plans, and product designs. They allege to have stolen corporate data such as sales reports, invoices, contracts, recordings of management meetings, and employee personal data, including employee and foreign visitors’ passports. The threat actors claim to have stolen at least 2 terabytes during the Seiko breach.

As of 25th of October, Seiko, has confirmed the data breach involving approximately 60,000 items of personal data, including

• customer data,
• business transaction contact details,
• employment applicant information,
• personnel details

of current and former employees across Seiko Group Corporation (SGC), Seiko Watch Corporation (SWC), and Seiko Instruments Inc. (SII). Seiko has taken measures to enhance security, block external server communication, deploy EDR systems, implement multi-factor authentication (MFA), and collaborate with cybersecurity experts to assess vulnerabilities and improve system security.