Ransomware Attack on Charles Parsons: A Detailed Analysis

Company Profile

Charles Parsons & Co Pty Ltd, a prominent player in the textile and fabric industry, was founded in 1915 by Charles Leslie Parsons. This privately owned, fourth-generation family business is headquartered in Redfern, New South Wales, Australia. Specializing in a wide range of fabrics, the company caters to sectors including performance sportswear, school and corporate wear, and home textiles. As of 2024, Charles Parsons reported a revenue of $61 million and employed 110 staff members.

The company's official website serves as a portal for information about their products and is also used for posting job vacancies in various departments such as Supply Chain, Lab Operations, Marketing, Digital & Design in Sydney and Melbourne.

Attack Details

The RA Group, a ransomware syndicate known for using the leaked Babuk ransomware code, targeted Charles Parsons, leading to the exfiltration of 31 GB of sensitive data. This data included legal documents, financial records, customer information, and contract documents.

Why Charles Parsons Was Targeted

The company's significant data repositories, including sensitive financial and customer information, make it an attractive target for cybercriminals. The manufacturing sector, where Charles Parsons operates, is increasingly becoming a target for ransomware attacks due to the critical nature of its operations and the valuable data it holds. As it's important to mention that the visibility of their job vacancies and active recruitment might also have exposed them to increased cyber threats, potentially through phishing attacks aimed at HR processes.

Sources

• LinkedIn - Charles Parsons Company Profile
• Charles Parsons Official Website
• RocketReach - Charles Parsons Co Pty Ltd Profile
• ZoomInfo - Charles Parsons & Co Pty Ltd
• Dun & Bradstreet - Charles Parsons & Co Pty Ltd
• The Record - RA Ransomware Group Using Leaked Code
• Cyberint - RA Group Ransomware
• SalvageData - RA Group Ransomware
• CSO Online - New Ransomware Gang RA Group Quickly Expanding Operations
• WatchGuard - Ransomware Tracker: RA Group