Bridgestone cyber attack: What happened and how to react 

Bridgestone, one of the world’s major tire manufacturers, was hit by a ransomware attack in March 2022 that targeted its American subsidiary. The attackers stole sensitive data and threatened to disclose it unless the firm paid a large ransom.

This cyberattack serves as a sobering reminder of the growing threat of ransomware attacks and the critical need for cybersecurity for all businesses, both large and small. 

Let’s take a look at what happened during the Bridgestone cyberattack, what the firm did to recover, and what you can do to protect yourself if a similar attack happens.

What is Ransomware and how does it work?

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the victim’s data and then demands payment for the decryption key. Ransomware attacks have become more widespread in recent years, with cybercriminals attacking businesses of all kinds. 

In the case of the Bridgestone cyberattack, the attackers employed a kind of ransomware known as Conti to encrypt the company’s data and demand ransom.

Timeline of the Bridgestone cyber attack

The Bridgestone cyberattack was discovered on March 11, 2022, when the company’s US subsidiary reported a security incident. The intruders had accessed the company’s servers and stolen sensitive data, including employee data and confidential business documents. 

The attackers sought a $40 million ransom to decrypt the stolen material and prevent its leak. But Bridgestone declined to pay the ransom, and instead collaborated with law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity specialists to recover from the attack.

Here is the detailed timeline of the Bridgestone Cyber Attack based on the available information:

• March 10, 2022: Bridgestone’s US subsidiary suffers a cyberattack, which is later identified as a ransomware attack.
• March 14, 2022: The cyber attackers, identifying themselves as the RansomEXX group, post a note on their dark web leak site claiming responsibility for the hack and threatening to expose confidential Bridgestone data unless they pay a ransom.
• March 15, 2022: In a statement, Bridgestone admits the cyberattack, adding that its IT systems were disrupted and that it was working to determine the scope and extent of the incident.
• March 16, 2022: Bridgestone officially acknowledges that the ransomware attack has disrupted its supply chain and operations as well as those of its customer Toyota. It said that it is cooperating with law officials to investigate the matter.
• March 17, 2022: Bridgestone Americas files a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee against unnamed cybercriminals, stating that they used an employment scam to obtain access to the company’s network and execute the ransomware attack.
• March 18, 2022: Bridgestone acknowledges that the ransomware attack has affected its global operations, including plants in Japan, India, and the United States. It also announced that it has not paid the ransom demanded by cybercriminals.
• March 22, 2022: Bridgestone offers an update on its recovery operations, claiming that most of its IT systems have successfully been restored and that it is working to get the remaining systems operational again.
• March 25, 2022: Bridgestone announces that its operations and supply chain have fully recovered from the hack. It also expressed gratitude to its staff, customers, and partners for their assistance and patience during the recovery process.

How Bridgestone recovered from the cyber attack

Despite the severity of the attack, Bridgestone responded quickly and took several steps to recover from the cyberattack and prevent similar attacks in the future. Here are some of the key steps taken by the company:

1. Incident Response: Bridgestone quickly activated its incident response plan after identifying the hack. The IT and security professionals at the firm worked around the clock to determine the depth and extent of the attack, mitigate the damage, and restore the company’s IT infrastructure.
2. Communication: Throughout the recovery process, Bridgestone maintained open and transparent communication with its workers, customers, partners, and other stakeholders. The organization offered regular updates on the incident and its consequences, assuring stakeholders that it was working to resolve the problem as fast and effectively as possible.
3. Recovery Plan: Bridgestone developed a robust recovery strategy to restore its IT systems and operations. The company’s recovery strategy included a wide range of measures, such as restoration from backups, rebuilding IT systems from scratch, and releasing security patches and fixes.
4. Collaboration: They investigated the issue and identified the cyber attackers in collaboration with law enforcement authorities, cybersecurity specialists, and other industry partners. The company also shared its learnings and best practices with other organizations to assist them in preventing and mitigating similar cyberattacks.
5. Resilience: Despite the incident, Bridgestone’s resilience and business continuity plans enabled the company to keep its operations and supply chain running. The company’s global presence and diverse supply chain also supported it in mitigating the impact of the attack and ensuring the timely delivery of its products and services to customers.

As a result of these measures, Bridgestone was able to fully recover from the hack within two weeks! On March 25, 2022, the company announced that its operations and supply chain had returned to normal, and thanked its staff, customers, and partners for their assistance and patience during the recovery process.

How to protect yourself from a ransomware attack

As you can see after reading about the Bridgestone cyberattack, no company, no matter how big or small, is immune to ransomware attacks. Here are some steps of the steps you can take to protect yourself if a similar attack happens:

1. Back up your data regularly: Back up your valuable data regularly and store it in a safe place, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage. If your data gets encrypted as a result of a ransomware attack, you can easily retrieve it from your backups. You can also use your own file encryption software, such as PureEncrypt, to keep your data locked and safe from hackers at all times.
2. Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication: Utilize strong passwords and activate multi-factor authentication whenever possible. This makes unwanted access to your accounts more difficult for thieves. You can also make use of tools such as PureKeep to keep your passwords protected.
3. Keep your software up-to-date: Keep your software and operating systems up to date with the most recent security patches and updates. This will assist in the patching of any known vulnerabilities that cybercriminals may exploit.
4. Use reputable antivirus and firewall software: Employ reliable antivirus and firewall software to detect and prevent malicious programs from infecting your computer or network.
5. Use a VPN service that offers encryption: Subscribe to a VPN service that offers end-to-end encryption, like PureVPN does, to secure yourself from online threats.

Bottom line

The Bridgestone incident serves as a wake-up call for businesses and individuals to prioritize cybersecurity. Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and it’s critical to take precautions today. You can help to prevent a ransomware attack and keep your data safe if you follow the steps mentioned above. Remember that prevention is always better than cure, so take action now to defend yourself from a potential cyberattack.

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