A ransomware gang is claiming responsibility for having the San Francisco 49ers, stating that it has stolen some of the team’s financial data. The group known as BlackByte posted team documents in a file marked “2020 invoices” in a site on the dark web.
The 49ers have acknowledged a “network security incident,” although they don’t believe the issue will affect fans, according to the AP.
“To date, we have no indication that this incident involves systems outside of our corporate network, such as those connected to Levi’s Stadium operations or ticket holders,” the team said in a statement provided to the AP. This implies that the attack involves systems inside the corporate network, which presumably entails a potentially broad range of information.
The NFL team says it has already contacted law enforcement and cybersecurity firms to help investigate the breach.
This particular event continues a disturbing trend from last year that has seen a record number of data breaches. Data incidents increased 68% in 2021 compared to 2020, according to data from the Identity Theft Resource Center.
Per Alan Suderman of the Associated Press, the FBI and U.S. Secret Service recently issued an alert on BlackByte ransomware after it has compromised several organizations across the country in the past few months.
Clearly, the alert is not working.
