Hensoldt

Hensoldt AG, also known as Lhensoldt, is a multinational defense contractor headquartered in Germany. The company operates internationally, evidenced by the presence of a subsidiary located in the United Kingdom. Its core business activities fall within the defense sector, though the specific products, services, or markets served beyond this broad categorization are not detailed in the provided source material.

The organisation experienced a significant cybersecurity incident on December 17, 2021, impacting its UK subsidiary. This attack was attributed to the Lorenz ransomware gang. Attackers compromised systems, exfiltrated sensitive data, and subsequently published most of the stolen files as password-protected archives. Lorenz employed extortion tactics, threatening to release the decryption keys necessary to unlock these archives unless their ransom demands were met. This group typically monetizes attacks through direct ransom payments, selling stolen data to other threat actors, and auctioning access to compromised networks. Their strategy involves applying incremental pressure by leaking portions of the stolen data before potentially releasing the entire archive. Following the attack, a decryptor tool became available that could recover certain types of files affected by this specific Lorenz ransomware variant. This incident highlights Hensoldt's position within the critical defense industry and its exposure to sophisticated cyber threats targeting valuable assets.