Ransomware Attack on Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation
Incident Date:
May 18, 2024
Overview
Title
Ransomware Attack on Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation
Victim
Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation
Attacker
Bianlian
Location
First Reported
May 18, 2024
Ransomware Attack on Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation
Victim Overview
Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation, a leading manufacturer of premium dietary supplements, fell victim to a cyberattack by the ransomware group BianLian. The company, founded in 1991 and based in Sugar Land, Texas, specializes in creating high-quality nutritional supplements and natural health products. Bluebonnet Nutrition stands out in the industry for its commitment to using sustainable, USDA Organic, and non-GMO ingredients in its products, as well as its award-winning supplement line.
Company Profile
The company has an annual revenue of $27.9 million and employs approximately 62 people. The company recently expanded its operations with a new $18 million, 128,000-square-foot facility in the Sugar Land Business Park, allowing it to triple its workforce to about 300 employees.
Attack Details
The cyberattack on Bluebonnet Nutrition involved the use of ransomware by a group from the USA specializing in cybercrime. The attackers took possession of 2.6 terabytes of data, including sensitive information such as product incidents and complaints, financial data, contract information, files from the CFO's computer, operational documents, and email archives. The specific ransom demand remains undisclosed.
Ransomware Group BianLian
BianLian is a sophisticated ransomware group known for targeting businesses, governmental organizations, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions globally. The group has evolved from a banking trojan to advanced ransomware operations, emphasizing extortion-based strategies. BianLian distinguishes itself by using custom backdoors, PowerShell, and Windows Command Shell for defense evasion, as well as exfiltration-based extortion tactics.
Penetration of Company Systems
The ransomware group likely gained access to Bluebonnet Nutrition's systems through compromised Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) credentials. The group implanted custom backdoors specific to the victim, allowing them to move laterally, collect data, and exfiltrate sensitive information. Bluebonnet Nutrition's vulnerabilities may have included inadequate endpoint detection and response solutions, making them susceptible to the ransomware attack.
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Sources:
Recent Ransomware Attacks
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