The Big Issue newspaper attacked by Qilin ransomware gang
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The Big Issue, a street newspaper in the United Kingdom that offers homeless individuals a chance to earn an income through magazine sales, has fallen victim to a cyber attack orchestrated by the Qilin ransomware gang.
The incident, confirmed by Paul Cheal, the Big Issue Group's chief executive, involved unauthorized access and the theft of 550 gigabytes of sensitive data, including files pertaining to commercial and personnel functions. This breach was publicized after the Big Issue was listed on the gang's darknet extortion site.
A number of screenshots posted by Qilin to prove the veracity of its claims appear to comprise personal addresses and employee details including:
- passport scans,
- payroll information,
- recent letter approving a pay rise for a senior executive.
Big Issue Grou enlisted external IT security specialists to aid in the investigation and recovery efforts. Despite the disruption, the Big Issue has managed to start restoring its systems, ensuring that the magazine's publication and distribution remain unaffected.
No details are disclosed about the number of affected individuals or systems that were shut down.
