Mexican state-owned petroleum firm grounded: Ransomware attackers demand $5 million in Bitcoin

• Pemex operations grounded as relevant information is kept out of reach by the attackers.
• Efforts to go around the ransomware attack have not yielded; employees cannot work and payments have delayed.

A Mexican state-owned petroleum firm, Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) has been crippled by a ransomware attack for almost a week. The attack made on its administrative system across its countrywide branches was detected on Sunday. The attackers have made sure that the company does not have access to vital information on the firm’s network of computers.

An official of the firm said that the attackers had used a Ryuk, a deadly ransomware tool that if not handled properly could cause more damage. The attackers have put their demands forward. They need $5 million to be paid to them in form of Bitcoin.

The hope that the form could resolve the matter in 48 hours has not seen the light of day. Several efforts made to recover the information have gone down the drain. The company says that if the attackers realize it is working smart, it would be very costly.