AMD working with law enforcement after reports of massive data breach — hack may have uncovered future product details
AMD late on Tuesday said that it had begun to investigate claims that its internal network, containing sensitive information, had been breached, reports Bloomberg. The first report about the alleged breach by Intelbroker, a notorious cybercriminal, emerged earlier on June 18 at The Cyber Express. The data that the hackers have allegedly obtained spans details of future products to customer databases, and may also include employee details.
"We are aware of a cybercriminal organization claiming to be in possession of stolen AMD data," a statement by AMD published by Bloomberg reads. "We are working closely with law enforcement officials and a third-party hosting partner to investigate the claim and the significance of the data."
Intelbroker reportedly stole and is now trying to sell a vast array of AMD's data, including detailed specifications of upcoming products, property files, ROMs, firmware, internal communications, and source code. Additionally, the pilfered data comprises financial records and comprehensive employee information such as user IDs, names, job roles, phone numbers, and email addresses. This information could jeopardize AMD's competitive edge and thus the breach raises concerns about intellectual property theft and corporate espionage.
Samples of the stolen data shared on BreachForums demonstrate the potential gravity of this breach. Screenshots and snippets from AMD’s internal systems provide insights into the extent of the compromised information.
This is not AMD's first encounter with cybersecurity challenges. In 2022, the company was targeted by the RansomHouse hacking group, which also claimed to have extracted data from AMD's networks. That incident led to an extensive investigation by AMD to assess the damage and bolster its security measures.
High-profile data breaches happen from time to time. A couple of years ago hackers stole the credentials of 71,000 Nvidia employees. Probably one of the most significant data breaches also happened in 2022, when hackers stole 122GB of data containing roadmaps of leading high-tech companies from Gigabyte.
Intelbroker, the alleged perpetrator of this breach, is known for a series of high-profile cyber intrusions targeting diverse organizations. Notable incidents involving Intelbroker include infiltrations at Los Angeles International Airport, exposing personal and flight details, and compromising U.S. federal agencies through Acuity. Intelbroker's motives seem to range from financial gain through the sale of stolen data to potential geopolitical agendas aimed at disrupting critical infrastructure.
