Cyber Incident Victim: Montibello
Date:
Feb 2023
Location:
Argentina
Summary
A cosmetics company was listed as a victim by the LockBit3.0 ransomware group on their data leak site, though no supporting evidence or file samples were provided at the time of the posting. Despite outreach attempts by cybersecurity monitors, the organization neither confirmed nor denied the alleged intrusion, with no public statements or notifications detected on their official platforms. The incident remains unverified due to the absence of corroborating data or disclosure from the affected entity. This aligns with broader patterns of LockBit3.0 listing targets without immediate proof, as seen in contemporaneous attacks on energy and financial sector entities across Latin America.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 2 techniques |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On February 14, 2023, the LockBit3.0 ransomware group publicly listed cosmetics company Montibello on its data leak site, alleging a compromise of the firm’s systems. The listing appeared without accompanying evidence such as a file directory sample, proof documents, or stolen data excerpts. Montibello, a skin and hair care products manufacturer, did not issue any public statements through its corporate website or social media channels acknowledging the incident following this disclosure. Independent cybersecurity outlet DataBreaches attempted to contact the company via email to verify LockBit3.0's claims but received no response as of the article's publication date three days later. The absence of corroborating technical details from the threat actors, combined with the lack of acknowledgment from Montibello, left the validity of the alleged intrusion unresolved. No operational disruptions, customer data exposures, or financial demands were documented in connection with the listing at this stage. LockBit3.0’s standard modus operandi typically involves data exfiltration followed by extortion threats to release stolen information unless ransom payments are made, though no such specifics were asserted in this case. The group provided no timeline for potential data publication, unlike their concurrent listing of Grupo Albanesi and prior leak involving Financiera Reyes, which included verifiable customer records.
DataBreaches classified the Montibello incident as an unconfirmed claim due to insufficient evidence supporting the ransomware group’s assertion. No subsequent updates to LockBit3.0’s leak site provided additional substantiation for the alleged breach throughout the initial reporting period. Montibello maintained complete public silence regarding the listing, with no regulatory filings, customer notifications, or press releases addressing cybersecurity issues during the immediate aftermath. This contrasted with LockBit3.0’s attack on Financiera Reyes, where stolen personal information from credit applicants eventually appeared on the leak site months later despite similar initial lack of proof. The cosmetics firm’s unresolved status created uncertainty regarding potential operational impacts, data compromise scope, and remediation efforts as neither internal confirmation nor external validation occurred. External monitoring of the company’s digital assets revealed no observable service outages or website defacements coinciding with the leak site listing date, leaving the practical consequences of the unverified claim undocumented. LockBit3.0 did not escalate their threat or publish Montibello-related data during the initial three-day observation window detailed in public reporting.