Chemical Firms Order ‘Hundreds of New Computers’ After Ransomware Attack

Chemical firms Hexion and Momentive have been hit by a huge Ransomware attack and forced to order hundreds of new computers. Motherboard saw an email from Momentive CEO Jack Boss that referred to a “global IT outage” and the need to deploy “swat teams.” As well as ordering new devices, Momentive has given some employees new email addresses, as theirs remain inaccessible. The attackers left a message demanding payment in Bitcoin.
Based on the ransom message, the ransomware that hit Hexion and Momentive appears to be LockerGoga, the same ransomware that forced an aluminum manufacturing giant Norsk Hydro to shut down its worldwide network this week…On the day of the attack, some of the companies’ Windows computers were hit with a blue screen error and their files encrypted, said the current employee, who asked to remain anonymous as they were not authorized to speak to the press. “Everything [went down]. Still no network connection, email, nothing.”