Asus is reporting that one of its suppliers was hacked after a ransomware group claimed to have stolen over 1TB from the company.
Asus didn’t name the supplier, but indicated it had lost some company data to the attackers. “This affected some of the camera source code for ASUS phones,” the Taiwanese PC vendor wrote in a statement.
“This incident has not impacted ASUS products, internal company systems, or user privacy,” the company added. “ASUS continues to strengthen supply chain security in compliance with cybersecurity standards.”
The PC maker disclosed the hack a day after the ransomware group Everest announced it had allegedly stolen a “1TB+ database” from Asus, including camera source code.
(Everest)
It doesn’t appear any customer or employee data was in the database though. Everest uploaded screenshots of the stolen information, which mentions folders including “AICamera,” and references to Asus’s ROG Phone 9, which was launched last year.
The Everest group publicized the stolen information over the gang’s site on the Dark Web, asking interested buyers to reach out. The gang also claims it stole internal tools, firmware and experimental apps. “Minimum price: $700,000 We will sell to the buyer who offers the best price,” the group wrote.
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How the data was stolen remains unclear. But the Russian-speaking Everest group has been around since 2020 and been known to hack victim companies by breaking into remote desktop systems, corporate VPNs or even buying stolen credentials from other cybercriminals.
The gang typically tries to extort victims by threatening to leak the stolen data. In October, the group grabbed headlines for pilfering data from Under Armour, including customer information, and then leaking it online.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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