Sierra Wireless halts production after ransomware attack
The attack, which brought down the IoT firm's internal IT systems, also prompted the company to withdraw its Q1 2021 guidance


IoT solutions provider Sierra Wireless has been forced to halt production at its manufacturing site after being hit by a ransomware attack.
The attack took place on 20 March, and was discovered by the company three days later. Despite an immediate response from the Sierra Wireless' IT and operations teams, hackers managed to bring down its internal IT systems, disrupting the Sierra Wireless website and the internal operations of the company.
It also prompted the company to withdraw its Q1 2021 guidance, which was published on 23 February 2021 and provided information on the company’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2020 results. According to an error message, the website which contained the guidance is now “under maintenance”.
How safe is the IoT? Hackers auction stolen CD Projekt data with ‘charity fundraiser' The top 12 password-cracking techniques used by hackers
Sierra Wireless announced that it has “implemented measures to counter the attack in accordance with established cyber security procedures and policies that were developed in collaboration with third-party advisors”.
Although Sierra Wireless’ customer-facing products and services are thought to have come out fo the attack unscathed, the company has asked its customers and partners for patience “as it seeks to remediate the situation”.
The ransomware attack has also forced the company to halt production at its manufacturing sites but is hoping to resume normal operations “soon”. Although headquartered in British Columbia, Canada, Sierra Wireless maintains multiple offices and operations around the globe, including the US, Brazil, Germany, Sweden, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, France, and Hong Kong.
The amount of the ransom and the identity of the attackers is unknown at this time. IT Pro has reached out to Sierra Wireless for more information about the attack but has yet to hear back from the company.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
The incident comes just days after ransomware collective REvil demanded $50 million (£36 million) from Acer, in what is thought to be the gang's most costly attack yet. The Taiwanese PC manufacturer has been given until March 28 to send over funds before any stolen data is leaked.
The Acer ransomware attack is believed to be linked to the Microsoft Exchange hack from earlier this month, which was orchestrated by 'at least ten hacker groups' and affected ‘hundreds of thousands’ of victims, including in the UK.
Having only graduated from City University in 2019, Sabina has already demonstrated her abilities as a keen writer and effective journalist. Currently a content writer for Drapers, Sabina spent a number of years writing for ITPro, specialising in networking and telecommunications, as well as charting the efforts of technology companies to improve their inclusion and diversity strategies, a topic close to her heart.
Sabina has also held a number of editorial roles at Harper's Bazaar, Cube Collective, and HighClouds.
-
M&S suspends online sales as 'cyber incident' continues
News Marks & Spencer (M&S) has informed customers that all online and app sales have been suspended as the high street retailer battles a ‘cyber incident’.
By Ross Kelly
-
Manners cost nothing, unless you’re using ChatGPT
Opinion Polite users are costing OpenAI millions of dollars each year – but Ps and Qs are a small dent in what ChatGPT could cost the planet
By Ross Kelly
-
Ransomware attacks are rising — but quiet payouts could mean there's more than actually reported
News Ransomware attacks continue to climb, but they may be even higher than official figures show as companies choose to quietly pay to make such incidents go away.
By Nicole Kobie
-
Cleo attack victim list grows as Hertz confirms customer data stolen – and security experts say it won't be the last
News Hertz has confirmed it suffered a data breach as a result of the Cleo zero-day vulnerability in late 2024, with the car rental giant warning that customer data was stolen.
By Ross Kelly
-
‘Phishing kits are a force multiplier': Cheap cyber crime kits can be bought on the dark web for less than $25 – and experts warn it’s lowering the barrier of entry for amateur hackers
News Research from NordVPN shows phishing kits are now widely available on the dark web and via messaging apps like Telegram, and are often selling for less than $25.
By Emma Woollacott
-
Healthcare systems are rife with exploits — and ransomware gangs have noticed
News Nearly nine-in-ten healthcare organizations have medical devices that are vulnerable to exploits, and ransomware groups are taking notice.
By Nicole Kobie
-
Alleged LockBit developer extradited to the US
News A Russian-Israeli man has been extradited to the US amid accusations of being a key LockBit ransomware developer.
By Emma Woollacott
-
February was the worst month on record for ransomware attacks – and one threat group had a field day
News February 2025 was the worst month on record for the number of ransomware attacks, according to new research from Bitdefender.
By Emma Woollacott
-
CISA issues warning over Medusa ransomware after 300 victims from critical sectors impacted
News The Medusa ransomware as a Service operation compromised twice as many organizations at the start of 2025 compared to 2024
By Solomon Klappholz
-
Warning issued over prolific 'Ghost' ransomware group
News The Ghost ransomware group is known to act fast and exploit vulnerabilities in public-facing appliances
By Solomon Klappholz