Ransomware (extortion): Production and industrial SMEs, Switzerland 2024
On 29 July 2024, the industrial group suffered a partial outage of its global IT; a third party had gained access and encrypted servers.
- Incident · 07.2024 · Switzerland
- Evidence: confirmed by an authority
- Ransomware (extortion)
- Data breach
As of
What happened
At some sites, production was restricted and had to be stopped temporarily. According to Hoerbiger, a limited amount of data was exfiltrated from two of the 800 affected servers; the Akira group claimed more than 50 GB.
- Affected
- Hoerbiger
- Industry
- Production and industrial SMEs
- Loss
- no reliable figure
- Business interruption
- unknown
- Ransom demanded / paid
- unknown / unknown
- Data affected
- according to Hoerbiger, a limited amount of data from 2 servers; according to Akira more than 50 GB
- Bankruptcy
- no
- Entry point
- not stated in the sources
What would cyber insurance have paid?
That depends on the terms. Whether those affected were insured: unknown.
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Loss of income after an attack
Business interruption, only after the waiting period
Mostly covered 7 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
-
Costs of getting data, software and systems running again
Mostly covered 6 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
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Help and negotiation; only some insurers pay the ransom, see note
Mostly add-on 6 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
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Immediate help in an emergency
Hotline, IT forensics, crisis PR and legal advice
Mostly covered 7 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
Overview based on public policy terms, as of 06.11.2026. Only your policy and its general terms and conditions (GTC) are binding. No confirmation of cover.
What we can learn
Core systems operated separately (here ERP, CRM, HR at external service providers) were spared and limited the damage.
Sources
- Schweizer Industriekonzern Hoerbiger von Ransomware getroffen (opens in a new window) Inside IT · 22.08.2024