Rolls-Royce, the renowned British manufacturing giant, has fallen victim to a sophisticated cyber attack resulting in potential data theft related to its Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology—an essential device used to generate power for diverse applications and users.
The company, known for crafting super-luxury vehicles and aircraft engines, has maintained silence regarding the incident. However, a spokesperson who is highly active on a social media platform issued a statement attributing the attack to a threat group called “Network-Worker Alliance.”
In the aftermath of the cyber attack, Rolls-Royce’s official website has been inaccessible for the past three days, displaying the Error 525 code as of July 30, 2023. Security analysts are perplexed by the situation, as the company’s servers were seemingly protected by Cloudflare online security tools, making it highly improbable for hackers to infiltrate the system.
The nature of the attack suggests that the perpetrators were well-prepared or may have received insider support to breach the company’s highly secure network. The Rolls-Royce SMR project holds significant prestige for the British government, as it enhances the nation’s nuclear power capabilities. Consequently, the implications of this incident may be more profound than initially perceived.
Since 2018, the London-based aerospace business has been actively involved in the development of nuclear power plants, focusing on innovating small modular reactors. The company’s global presence has attracted widespread attention, especially from Asian countries like India, who have shown keen interest in signing a pact with Rolls-Royce to harness the innovative technology and bolster their nuclear power capabilities.
Note 1: Error 525 occurs when an SSL handshake fails to establish an authentication to gain a secure connect or else is intercepted by a 3rd party leading to an error.
Note 2- Data breach details are yet to be confirmed by the company.
