Global Polymers targeted by ALPHV ransomware group in data leak

• Ransomware group: ALPHV
• Country: United States
• Sector: Agriculture and Food Production
• Announcement date: July 26, 2023

ALPHV claims to have stolen confidential data from Global Polymers

The ALPHV ransomware group has published data allegedly belonging to Global Polymers on its leak site. According to the threat actor, a massive amount of confidential information was stolen during a cyberattack targeting the organization. The announcement regarding this breach was discovered on July 26, 2023, although the group cites the actual attack date as April 21, 2023.

The ALPHV group claims to have obtained a significant amount of confidential information belonging to Global Polymers. In their announcement, the threat actors assert that the company's security measures were insufficient to prevent the intrusion. By listing files containing sensitive information on their leak site, the group has engaged in a common tactic used by modern ransomware operations to pressure victims.

Details of the alleged data breach

The information released by the threat actor includes a variety of sensitive documents and records. Based on screenshots provided by the group, the stolen data is reported to include driver's licenses, financial documents, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), personal employee information, database files, and logistics documents. The specific volume of the data and the total file count have not been disclosed by the group.

The types of affected data identified in the listing include:

• Customer financial information
• Personal and insurance information of employees
• Logistics documents
• Non-disclosure agreements
• Database records

No information was provided regarding a specific ransom demand or the exact size of the data exfiltrated.

About Global Polymers

Global Polymers is a company with over 27 years of experience in the plastics recycling industry. It provides expertise to corporate clients in areas such as social and environmental responsibility, carbon footprint reduction, and closed-loop recycling.

Analysis and potential impact of the leak

The exposure of this data may pose secondary risks such as identity theft and targeted phishing attacks for both employees and customers. Given that the institution is based in the United States, the breach could result in legal consequences under state-level data protection laws and sectoral regulations. The public exposure of the institution's data may weaken supply chain security and lead to long-term reputational damage.

ALPHV, also known as BlackCat, is a known ransomware group that utilizes Rust-based ransomware and employs double-extortion tactics. Double extortion is a method where attackers not only encrypt an organization's data but also steal it, threatening to leak the sensitive information on a public site if the ransom is not paid. This tactic significantly increases the pressure on organizations, as the threat of data exposure remains even if systems are restored from backups.

For organizations operating in sectors involving complex supply chains, such as agriculture and food production, maintaining robust cybersecurity posture is critical. Defensive steps typically include implementing multi-factor authentication, maintaining regular offline backups, and conducting regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by threat actors.