Earlier this week, Cybersecurity Dive reported that a vast amount of highly sensitive data may have been stolen from Lockheed Martin in a recent cyber attack.

About the attack

According to the report, the attack was carried out by a group of pro-Iranian threat actors known as APT Iran. Allegedly, they were able to steal 375 terabytes of sensitive data – including “copies of blueprints of F-35 aircraft… and other corporate information,” once they had hacked into Lockheed Martin’s system. Now, the group has taken to posting about the theft on Telegram and have threatened to sell the data to enemies of the state unless they receive over $400 million in exchange.

Business as usual for Lockheed Martin

So, what’s next for Lockheed Martin? Is APT Iran making false claims in hopes of a payout, or should there be concern about a major security threat to the military-industrial complex? Whether or not Lockheed Martin needs to seriously restructure its cybersecurity systems remains to be seen. Presently, their team insists that their data is fully secure and they have no need to consider the attackers’ demands. As a spokesperson for the company recently commented:

“We are aware of the reports and have policies and procedures in place to mitigate cyber threats to our business… We remain confident in the integrity of our robust, multilayered information systems and data security.”

Considering that Lockheed Martin works closely with the U.S. military and is the largest defense contractor in the world, let’s hope that’s not just wishful thinking…