An official silence surrounds the cyber attack on the systems of Fabricaciones Militares , a key state-owned company for the Argentine defense industry , which is currently facing a dismantling process and the intention of privatization by the Government of Javier Milei.
Specialized media reveal that the stolen information, which exceeds 300 GB , includes sensitive data, such as plans for cutting-edge weapons projects , which has generated great concern among the authorities.
The specialist publications FalconFeeds.io and Cyber Press were the first to sound the alarm. According to them, Fabricaciones Militares was the victim of a ransomware attack , a type of malicious software that encrypts the files on a system and demands a ransom for their release . The group responsible, known as " MONTI ", claimed responsibility for the attack and the massive theft of data.
The situation is even more delicate considering that Fabricaciones Militares , on which the Villa María Military Powder and Explosives Factory depends, is in a process of transition to become a public limited company and the Government announced its intention to privatize it.
Malvinas Agenda recently announced that more than a thousand workers see their future hanging in the balance after the auction of equipment and vehicles from Military Manufacturing , taking into account that a privatization is expected at the hands of companies associated with NATO and the US , which have interests in the manufacture of ammunition and explosives .
According to specialized media, among the stolen data there are plans for "next-generation platforms", including the upgrade of the TAM 2IP main battle tank and the development of a CH-14 helicopter .
The press also highlights that the attack coincides with an alert issued by Interpol in 2024 , which warned of the growing interest of ransomware gangs in defense contractors located in geopolitically neutral countries.
This suggests that the cyberattack may have been planned and executed by a group with significant experience and resources .
The MONTI group, through its portal on the "dark web", mocks the management of Fabricaciones Militares for its " insufficient cooperation" , which, according to Cyber Press , suggests that negotiations are underway to try to recover the stolen information .
This incident follows the massive hacking of "Mi Argentina" and around twenty official sites at the end of 2024 , which highlighted the deficiencies in the cybersecurity of the public administration .
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