Report shows Black Cat ransomware threat

Dusseldorf Black cats have a reputation for bringing bad luck. For a few months, malware has been up to mischief that lives up to this superstition. Her name: Black Cat. The program hijacks systems and equipment that can only be put back into operation after paying a ransom. In the meantime, a German company has also been affected by an attack.

The blackmail software (ransomware) is said to be responsible for the failure of all tank farms of the Oiltanking group, which belongs to the Hamburg group of companies Marquard & Bahls. This emerges from an internal management report by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) to companies. The mineral oil dealer Mabanaft, which belongs to the group of companies, was also attacked.

Due to the paralysis of Oiltanking’s tank farms, filling stations of medium-sized companies as well as major customers such as Shell can no longer be supplied. The operation has to be done manually, 233 gas stations, especially in northern Germany, are affected.