German battery manufacturer Varta was hit by a cyberattack on February 12th, forcing them to shut down IT systems and disconnect from the internet. This caused disruptions to production across five of their plants, impacting both manufacturing and administrative functions.
The full extent of the damage is still under investigation, and the company has activated its emergency response plan. They have formed a task force with cybersecurity experts and data forensics specialists to restore operations and investigate the incident further.
Varta manufactures batteries for various sectors, including automotive, consumer, and industrial. Their production facilities span across Germany, China, Romania, and Indonesia. According to reports, three of the impacted plants are located in Germany, one in Romania, and one in Indonesia. At the time of writing, production remains halted and no estimates for resumption are available.
While the details remain unclear, the nature of the incident suggests it could be a ransomware attack. While no group has claimed responsibility, ransomware victims are often only named after failed negotiations.
