Vectalia, a Multiservice and Mobility Company, Suffers Ransomware Attack

Vectalia, a Spanish multiservice and mobility company, has been targeted by the ransomware group vicesociety. The attack was announced on the group's dark web leak site. Vectalia operates in the Energy, Utilities & Waste sector, providing services in various areas such as water, energy, and waste recycling management.

Company Overview

Vectalia is a transnational company that offers water, energy, and waste recycling management services. It has a significant presence in the United States, with yearly sales of approximately $5 billion and operations in all 50 states. The company operates 8,500 water and wastewater facilities worldwide.

Industry Standout

Vectalia is known for its expertise in creating water, waste, and energy management systems. It has a strong focus on sustainability and innovation, which sets it apart in the industry.

Vulnerabilities

The ransomware attack on Vectalia's Municipal Water division forced the company to take parts of its infrastructure offline until the targeted back-end systems and servers could be restored. Although the attack did not affect water or wastewater treatment operations, some personal data was stolen from the company's internal back-end systems.

The attack on Vectalia is part of a broader trend of ransomware attacks targeting the energy sector, which has seen a significant increase in recent years. The energy sector was the fourth-most-targeted sector in 2023, accounting for 10.7% of all cyberattacks.

Response and Mitigation

Vectalia has responded to the attack by implementing defensive measures, including taking the targeted back-end systems and servers offline until they could be restored. The company has also cooperated with law enforcement and other third parties to investigate and address the incident.

Customers were not penalized for late payments or charged interest on their bills due to the service interruption, and any payments made during the attack have been applied. The company has also contacted individuals whose personal information may have been impacted by the attack and provided them with additional information and assistance.

The ransomware attack on Vectalia highlights the increasing threat of cyberattacks in the energy sector. Companies in this sector must be vigilant and implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect their operations and customer data.

Sources

• Vectalia
• Ransomware Attacks against the Energy Sector on the rise - Resecurity
• Veolia North America hit by ransomware attack