Ragnarlocker Ransomware Attack on TAP Air Portugal

TAP Air Portugal, the national airline of Portugal, has been targeted by the Ragnarlocker ransomware group, which claimed responsibility for the attack on their website. The airline, which operates in the transportation sector, has been a victim of a significant data breach, with over five million records containing personal information such as names, dates of birth, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses being leaked.

The attack occurred in August 2022, and TAP Air Portugal initially reported that they had successfully repelled the cyberattack and no data was compromised. However, the Ragnarlocker gang later posted a screenshot of a spreadsheet on their leak site, suggesting that they had indeed managed to exfiltrate hundreds of gigabytes of data. The company's website and app were also affected, becoming unstable.

TAP Air Portugal is a significant player in the aviation industry, and the attack on their systems could have serious implications for their operations and customer trust. The airline has been advised to contact a company specialized in ransomware and cybersecurity removal, such as HelpRansomware, to assist in the recovery of hijacked data.

The Ragnarlocker ransomware gang has been active since late 2019 and gained notoriety in 2021 for targeting critical infrastructure sectors. The attack on TAP Air Portugal is part of a broader trend of ransomware attacks on industrial organizations, with energy and transportation being among the most targeted sectors.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect against such attacks, particularly in the transportation sector where sensitive data and operational integrity are crucial.

Sources

• FlyTAP – TAP's official website
• HelpRansomware: The Cyber Attack on TAP Air Portugal [CASE STUDY]
• Bitdefender: TAP Air Portugal confirms hack, as Ragnar Locker gang leaks data
• Spiceworks: RagnarLocker Ransomware Gang Claims TAP Air Portugal as Its Second Victim in Two Weeks
• UMBC: Account Data Breach: TAP Air Portugal
• SecurityWeek: Ransomware Gang Claims Customer Data Stolen in TAP Air Portugal Hack