Energy giant Halliburton has officially confirmed that it suffered a data breach due to a recent cyberattack on its systems. The company, one of the world's largest oil field service providers, disclosed this information in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 30th.
The incident, first detected on August 21, 2024, involved unauthorized access to Halliburton's systems, resulting in the exfiltration of sensitive information. The full extent of the breach is still being determined as the company works with external advisors to assess and mitigate the damage.
In the SEC filing, Halliburton stated:
"The incident has caused disruptions and limitation of access to portions of [Halliburton's] business applications supporting aspects of the Company's operations and corporate functions. The Company believes the unauthorized third party accessed and exfiltrated information from the Company's systems. The Company is evaluating the nature and scope of the information, and what notifications are required."
This confirmation comes after initial reports linked the attack to the RansomHub ransomware gang, which targets large corporations. Halliburton has not publicly confirmed or denied this connection.
The cyberattack has caused significant disruptions to Halliburton's operations. The company reported taking certain systems offline to contain the attack, limiting access to portions of its business applications supporting various operations and corporate functions.
Despite these challenges, Halliburton assures that it "continues to provide its products and services to customers globally." The company also said it is actively communicating with its customers and stakeholders regarding the incident.
Halliburton has activated its cybersecurity response plan and notified law enforcement as part of its response. The company is now focused on restoring its systems and assessing the impacted data.
While Halliburton claims that the incident is not likely to have a material impact on its financial condition or results of operations, it acknowledges several ongoing risks; these include potential litigation, changes in customer behavior, and increased regulatory scrutiny.
This incident highlights the growing threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and large corporations. It reminds us of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the potential far-reaching consequences of such breaches in today's interconnected business environment.
As the situation develops, Halliburton has committed to providing updates on the incident's impact and its ongoing response efforts.
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