US medtech firm Stryker offline because of cyberattack, 50TB of data reportedly stolen

Medical technology company Stryker has become the victim of a cyberattack. The attack has been claimed by Handala, which says it has stolen 50TB of data.

In a statement that was published on Wednesday, Stryker said it was experiencing “a global network disruption” to its Microsoft environment as a result of a cyberattack.

The company added that there was no indication its corporate systems were infected with ransomware or malware, and believed that the incident was contained.

“Our teams are working rapidly to understand the impact of the attack on our systems. Stryker has business continuity measures in place to continue to support our customers and partners,” the American medical technology firm continued.

According to an 8-K Filing, Stryker activated its cybersecurity response plan and launched an investigation internally with the help of external advisors and cybersecurity experts to assess and to contain the threat.

Furthermore, the filing states that the incident has caused “disruptions and limitations” to access certain information systems and business applications. “While the company is working diligently to restore affected functions and systems access, the timeline for a full restoration is not yet known,” the medtech company continues.

In an updated statement on Thursday, Stryker assures clients that it’s safe to use the company’s products and that all orders after the incident are being examined.

The attack has been claimed by Handala, an Iranian-linked and pro-Palestinian hacktivist group. The group says it has wiped more than 200,000 systems and servers, and has stolen 50TB of “critical data,” allegedly forcing offices in 79 countries to shut down.

Handala said the hack was “in retaliation for the brutal attack on the Minab school and in response to ongoing cyber assaults against the infrastructure of the Axis of Resistance.”

Due to the incident, at least 175 people, primarily children, were reportedly killed by a Tomahawk missile strike on an Iranian elementary school in Minab. The school was next to an Iranian military compound. According to The New York Times, the US military fired the missile.