Garmin Hit by Suspected Ransomware Attack

Garmin has fallen victim to a suspected ransomware attack that has encrypted its internal network and a number of production systems.

[Tweet “Garmin has fallen victim to a suspected ransomware attack that has encrypted its internal network and a number of production systems.”]

The smartwatch maker has confirmed that outages have shut down its official website, the Garmin Connect user data-syncing service, Garmin’s aviation database services, and even some production lines, according to ZDNet. In an official tweet, Garmin says the outage also affects its call centres and is currently unable to receive any calls, emails or online chats.

The Guardian writes that Garmin has not officially said it was a ransomware attack. However, company employees writing on social media after the incident all described it as such.

“It is sadly no surprise to see another organisation fall victim to a suspected ransomware attack,” says Head of E-Crime at Mimecast, Carl Wearn.

“Our recent State of Email Security report found that 45% of companies in South Africa have been impacted by ransomware attacks in the last year. The key thing is that as long as organisations continue to pay, attackers will view this attack approach as being financially viable.”

“This particular attack is also worrying because of the type of data that could be lost, including both location and personal health data. When consumers trust organisations with this data, it is absolutely vital that it is kept secure. Incidents like these can have devastating consequences for the reputation of an organisation.”