U.S. FBI joins Continental cyberattack investigation

[November 23, 2022]  BERLIN (Reuters) -The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is involved in an investigation of a recent cyberattack on German automotive supplier Continental, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. 

German technology manufacturer Continental presents its latest radar-control based driving assistance system during the Continental TechShow 2021 at their factory in Frankfurt, Germany, October 28, 2021. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

The FBI was brought on board by German security authorities, the person said, confirming an earlier Handelsblatt report.

Continental declined to comment, and the FBI was not immediately available for comment.

Continental said earlier this month it was investigating the theft of company data in a cyberattack in August but declined to comment on media reports that hackers had put the information up for sale.

Handelsblatt had reported at the time that hackers had published a list of the data on the darknet and that it included budget, investment and strategy plans, as well as information related to some Continental customers.

Handelsblatt said the hackers had put the data up for sale for $50 million after Continental "apparently did not want to pay a ransom".

(Reporting by Maria Sheahan, Victoria WalderseeEditing by Paul Carrel and Gareth Jones)

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