Furniture Mart USA Faces Ransomware Threat from Akira Group
Ransomware Attack on Furniture Mart USA by Akira Group
Furniture Mart USA, a leading furniture retailer based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has become the latest victim of a ransomware attack orchestrated by the notorious Akira group. The attack, which occurred on November 21, resulted in the exfiltration of 150GB of sensitive corporate data, posing significant risks to the company's operations and reputation.
Company Profile and Industry Standing
Founded in 1976, Furniture Mart USA has grown from a single store to over 50 locations across the upper Midwest, including states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The company is recognized for its extensive range of home furnishings, mattresses, and decor, catering to diverse tastes and budgets. Known for its commitment to quality and affordability, Furniture Mart USA has consistently ranked among America's Top 100 Furniture Retailers. The company employs approximately 389 people and generates an annual revenue of around $39 million.
Details of the Ransomware Attack
The Akira ransomware group, known for its sophisticated double extortion tactics, targeted Furniture Mart USA, resulting in a significant data breach. The leaked data includes confidential financial documents, personal employee information, Social Security numbers, medical certificates, driver's licenses, customer contacts, and NDAs. This breach not only threatens the privacy of individuals but also exposes the company to potential legal and financial repercussions.
About the Akira Ransomware Group
Emerging in March 2023, Akira operates as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) entity, leveraging a double extortion model to demand ransoms ranging from $200,000 to $4 million. The group is known for its technical sophistication and potential ties to the former Conti group. Akira's operations are marked by cross-platform capabilities, including a Rust-based Linux variant for VMware ESXi environments, allowing it to target a wide range of sectors with high-stakes data.
Potential Vulnerabilities and Attack Vectors
Akira's attack on Furniture Mart USA likely exploited vulnerabilities in the company's IT infrastructure. The group is known for using spear-phishing, compromised VPN credentials, and unpatched vulnerabilities in Cisco ASA and FortiClient to gain initial access. Once inside, Akira employs lateral movement tools and disables security measures to maintain a persistent presence, ultimately leading to data exfiltration and encryption.
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