The cyber attack triggered a « severe, global disruption, » crippling Stryker’s IT systems across Europe, Asia, and the USA. Thousands of employees at the medical tech company were left unable to work as corporate networks, internal software, and manufacturing management systems went offline, bringing operations to nearly a standstill at its office in Cork, Ireland, and beyond.
The attackers reportedly deployed a « wiper » malware in this attack. This malicious software is designed to permanently erase and destroy data rather than hold it for ransom as it normally happens in a ransomware attack.
A hacking group known as « Handala » has claimed responsibility for the breach. The group, which reportedly has ties to Iran-linked cyber operations, reportedly displayed its logo on the login screens of infected company devices. They claim the attack was a retaliatory measure for recent military and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Handala claims to have extracted 50 terabytes of sensitive company data and wiped over 200,000 systems globally. These figures have not been independently verified. The hackers stated the operation was a « complete success » and that the stolen data is now in the hands of « the free people of the world. »
Stryker confirmed a global network disruption affecting its Windows environment and urged employees to keep company devices turned off and disconnected. The company is working alongside Microsoft engineers and Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre to investigate the breach, restore infrastructure, and implement business continuity measures. A Stryker spokeperson said the company was « actively working » to restore operations after the cyberattack. They said: « We are currently experiencing a global network disruption affecting the Windows environment. Our teams are actively working to restore systems and operations as quickly as possible. Stryker has business continuity measures in place, and we’re committed to continuing to serve our customers. »
Following news of the attack, Stryker’s stock (SYK) dropped by approximately 3%.
An online outage for Stryker is likely to have a knock on effect for hospital supply chains and operating rooms globally, due to its importance in the medical sector providing technology. While some machines have remained operational following the attack, the reliance on digital connectivity meant production likely slowed or stopped at several sites.
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