Altice International Hit by Hive Ransomware Group

Altice International, a telecommunications company headquartered in the Netherlands, has reportedly been hit by the Hive ransomware group. Altice serves millions of customers in Western Europe, Israel, and the Caribbean.

Company Overview

Altice International is the second largest telecommunications company in France, behind Orange. The company was founded by Patrick Drahi and is headquartered in the Netherlands. It operates in various countries, including the United States, where it spun off its US subsidiary into Altice USA. In 2021, Altice acquired a 12.1% stake in BT, which was later increased to an 18% stake.

Vulnerabilities and Impact

The scale and damage of the attack have not been confirmed, but it has been reported that files from Altice are available for download on the dark web through the Tor browser. Hive, the ransomware group responsible for the attack, has been active since June 2021 and has targeted organizations in the healthcare and financial sectors. The group has been known to demand large ransoms, with a recent demand of nearly €600,000 from two British colleges.

Hive's Tactics

Hive has been using the Rust programming language for its malware, which is relatively difficult to decipher. This change in programming language is believed to be an attempt by Hive to stay under the radar. The group has also been known to target public sector organizations, particularly those involved in healthcare.

Mitigation Strategies

While the article does not provide specific mitigation strategies, it is generally recommended for companies to implement robust cybersecurity measures, such as regular software updates, employee training, and the use of endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.

Sources

• Techzine Europe - Ransomware group Hive hits telecom giant Altice
• ITPro - French telco giant Altice reportedly hit by Hive ransomware attack
• Total Telecom - Altice stung by ransomware group Hive
• Tech Monitor - French telco Altice hit by cyberattack from Hive ransomware gang?
• SDTEK - Recent Cyber Security Breaches: eHealth (Canada), Altice (USA) and more