Hackers gang claims stadium f irm strike
A ransomware gang claims to have hacked trans-Tasman hospitality company O’Brien Group, which operates Auckland’s Eden Park stadium and several major stadiums in Australia.
A posting by the gang indicated that Melbourne-based O’Brien Group had been targeted by Lockbit 3.0 ransomware and that its computer files had been dumped online.
Stuff has not accessed the files but their titles indicated they contained operational and financial information including payroll data.
O’Brien Group declined an invitation to comment.
A spokesperson for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner said it had no record of O’Brien Group reporting a data breach.
Lockbit ransomware was used in a spate of attacks on New Zealand businesses last year.
Brett Callow, a Canadianbased threat analyst at New Zealand cyber-security company Emsisoft, said Lockbit was one of the most active ransomware operations.
‘‘It’s a RaaS, or ‘ransomwareas-a-service’ operation which means that the people who created the ransomware ‘rent’ it to the people who carry out the attacks and those people could be based anywhere – perhaps even in New Zealand or Australia,’’ he said.
‘‘In this case, LockBit is claiming to have released all the data which was allegedly stolen. When data is released, it usually means the company refused to pay the ransom demand.’’
The facilities O’Brien Group operates in Australia include AAMI Stadium Melbourne, Brisbane’s Suncorp and Gabba stadiums and the Adelaide Showground. It also owns a portfolio of boutique hotels.