The pharmaceutical giant is investigating claims that hackers accessed more than a terabyte of sensitive data, including research files and internal records, after an alleged ransom demand was rejected by the company.
Pharmaceutical major Novo Nordisk is investigating allegations made by a cyber-extortion group that claims to have stolen a large volume of sensitive corporate data and is considering selling portions of the information after failed ransom negotiations.
The group, known as FulcrumSec, said it infiltrated Novo Nordisk’s systems and spent several weeks extracting data before approaching the company with a demand reportedly worth $25 million. According to the hackers, the company declined to meet the demand, prompting the group to explore other options for monetising the information.
Novo Nordisk acknowledged that it is aware of online claims regarding unauthorised copying of data from its systems. In a statement, the company said it is treating the matter seriously, remains in contact with relevant authorities, and continues to operate its core business platforms without disruption.
The alleged breach follows a cybersecurity incident disclosed by Novo Nordisk earlier this month, when the company reported unauthorised access to a limited number of internal IT systems, including systems containing certain personal data.
Hackers claim access to research, drug and employee data
FulcrumSec alleges that the stolen information includes source code, internal documents, research data, and information related to both existing and future pharmaceutical products. The group also claims to possess records associated with employees, healthcare professionals, and clinical research activities.
The hackers said they initially contacted company executives before receiving a response from representatives of Novo Nordisk. According to the group, the company sought verification of the claims by requesting specific files that would confirm the authenticity of the breach.
Cybersecurity researchers monitoring the incident said the group has developed a reputation for carrying out sophisticated attacks and making credible claims regarding data theft. However, the full extent of the alleged compromise has not been independently verified.
Company continues investigation as data sale threat emerges
Despite threatening to release or sell portions of the information, FulcrumSec stated that it would withhold certain categories of data, including information related to thousands of employees, physicians and clinical trial participants. The group also claimed it would not disclose files connected to operational technology used within Novo Nordisk’s manufacturing facilities, citing an internal policy aimed at limiting potential harm.
Reports from cybersecurity monitoring platforms indicate that the hackers may have gained access to Novo Nordisk’s network several months ago and compiled a dataset containing hundreds of thousands of files.
The incident highlights the growing threat facing global healthcare and pharmaceutical organisations, which increasingly hold vast amounts of valuable intellectual property, research data and personal information. As investigations continue, the focus will remain on determining the scale of the breach and the potential impact on patients, partners and business operations.
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