LockBit 3.0 Ransomware Attack on ABL Inc.: A Critical Breach in Biopharmaceutical Cybersecurity

Incident Date:

April 18, 2024

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Overview

Title

LockBit 3.0 Ransomware Attack on ABL Inc.: A Critical Breach in Biopharmaceutical Cybersecurity

Victim

ABL inc.

Attacker

Lockbit3

Location

Rockville, USA

Maryland, USA

First Reported

April 18, 2024

LockBit 3.0 Ransomware Attack on ABL Inc.

Company Profile

ABL Inc., a subsidiary of the French bioindustrial group Institut Mérieux, is a prominent player in the biopharmaceutical sector, specializing as a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) and Contract Research Organization (CRO). Based in Maryland, USA, ABL Inc. boasts a revenue of $95.6 million and employs 397 individuals. The company is instrumental in the GMP manufacturing of virus-based therapies and vaccines, and supports preclinical and clinical studies with its advanced immunology and molecular laboratory assays.

Details of the Cyberattack

The LockBit 3.0 ransomware group, known for its disruptive cyber activities, has targeted ABL Inc., leading to the exfiltration of approximately 5 terabytes of sensitive data. This data includes critical information ranging from CEO and senior management documents to laboratory data and customer information. The attack has compromised over 200 different devices, highlighting a significant breach in ABL's cybersecurity measures.

Industry Standing and Vulnerabilities

The attacked company's prominence in the healthcare and biopharmaceutical industry, combined with its extensive handling of sensitive data, makes it an attractive target for cybercriminals. The nature of its operations, involving substantial data on therapies and vaccines, adds layers of risk, particularly if cybersecurity measures are not robust enough to ward off sophisticated threats like those posed by LockBit 3.0.

Sources

Recent Ransomware Attacks

The Recent Ransomware Attacks (RRA) site acts as a watchtower, providing you with near real-time ransomware tracking of attacks, groups and their victims. Given threat actors’ overarching, lucrative success so far, ransomware attacks have become the most ubiquitous, and financially and informationally impactful cyber threat to businesses and organizations today.

The site’s data is generated based on hosting choices of real-world threat actors, and a handful of other trackers. While sanitization efforts have been taken, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of the data. Attack updates will be made as source data is reported by reputable sources. By viewing, accessing, or using RRA you acknowledge you are doing so at your own risk.