Vestas Wind Systems has reported a data breach against its corporate IT systems that caused shutdowns across its business units.
Vestas Wind is gradually opening up its IT systems in the wake of shutdowns last Friday to contain the damage.
Danish Vestas Wind Systems, manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer of wind turbines, which has recently been exploring ways to expand its UK operation, has reported an attack against its corporate IT systems that caused shutdowns across multiple business units and locations to contain the issue.
On Monday the company announced that some of its IT infrastructure and internal data have been compromised but also pointed out that according to preliminary findings, there is no indication that third-party operations including customer and supply chains have been caught up. The gradual and controlled reopening of all IT systems is already underway. Although the attack bears the hallmarks of a ransomware attack, Vestas refused to offer any information regarding the specific nature of the attack at this stage.
Ransomware attacks against critical infrastructure, especially healthcare and energy are becoming increasingly common, and cybersecurity experts have already indicated that green energy generators may become targets too.
Vestas, one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies already had a difficult year before the incident. In 2021, it has lowered its operating profit forecasts twice, taking it from 10 to 4 percent. Vestas blamed supply-chain issues and material prices for the deteriorating outlook – steel prices rose by almost 50 percent between the start of 2020 and October 2021. The fact that the price has crashed back down by 25 percent in the past few weeks may improve the company’s fortunes again and help it recover from the 2.63 percent share price drop it suffered on the Nasdaq Copenhagen following the IT breach update.
