We know that cyberattacks are bad for any type of business and they can halt the operations for days or weeks in any organization. However, it is particularly bad in live institutions where robots are being operated and machines run the factory. This is exactly what happened at Evraz North America which is a factory where heavy slabs of steel are melted day in and day out. So if there is a cyberattack at this factory, it could be nasty because anything could go wrong.
Reports of a cyberattack at Evraz emerged yesterday and they have now been confirmed by the factory itself. It is also known that this attack has prompted them to shut down the factory and affected computer systems continent-wide and caused “interruptions” to its Regina operations.
An Evraz spokesperson said that “Our information technology teams are working to restore these systems as soon as possible,”. However, they have maintained that no confidential customers or employees information was accessed or stolen which means a breach is out of the question.
However, an employee at the factory provided information that Evraz had been hit by a ransomware attack that affected email, shipping, product certification, Internet and networks, among other systems. The employee also provided a copy of a document that he said the company had posted inside its Calgary facility.
Mike Day, President of USW 5890 employee union, said that information was communicated to him by management. He said it’s unclear how long workers will face a temporary layoff while the company tries to resolve the issue.
He added that management has raised the prospect of using a three-day layoff clause. Mike Day also believes that late-shift workers at the Evraz steel mill will likely be sent home Thursday as a result. And added that “It doesn’t look good” meaning that the damage could be much greater.
