Motives for ransomware attack against nuclear contractor remain unclear

Motives for ransomware attack against nuclear contractor remain unclear

Sol Oriens does work around nuclear weapons and energy for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. (NNSA)

News Thursday that New Mexico-based government contractor Sol Oriens was targeted by the Russian REvil ransomware group raised concerns in the national security community, because of the company’s work around nuclear weapons and energy for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.


Still unclear, however. was motivations for the attack.


CNBC’s Eamon Javers reported that Sol Oriens confirmed it was initially attacked in May and that the company claimed that no classified or critical security-related information was leaked. As of Friday, the company’s website was still down and Mother jones reported that it had been down since June 3. Sol Oriens has still not confirmed if the attack was ransomware.


Michael DeBolt, senior vice president of intelligence at Intel 471, said Sol Oriens was hit by REvil, the same group accused of hitting meat producer motives ransomware attack against nuclear contractor remain unclear