Hungarian officials have confirmed that the country’s defense procurement agency (VBÜ) has fallen victim to a cyberattack orchestrated by an international group of hackers.
The attack, which was initially claimed by the notorious INC Ransomware group, was reported on Thursday by local media.
The cybercriminals posted sample screenshots of the agency’s data on their dark web portal, signaling their breach. INC Ransomware, which surfaced last year, has a history of targeting sectors such as healthcare, education, and government entities. Despite this, the operators behind the group remain unidentified.
The Hungarian Ministry of National Defense declined to provide details about any potential data leaks, citing an ongoing investigation. However, officials reassured that VBÜ does not store sensitive military data. Hungary, as a NATO member, takes such breaches seriously, given the potential implications for national security.
Gergely Gulyás, the chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, addressed the media during a press briefing, attributing the attack to a “hostile foreign, non-state hacker group.” Gulyás did not name the group but revealed that the most sensitive information possibly compromised involved “plans and data about military procurement.”
Local news outlet Magyar Hang reported that INC Ransomware successfully infiltrated the agency’s servers, downloading and encrypting files. Screenshots posted by the hackers allegedly show documents containing details of the Hungarian army’s air and land capabilities, as well as documents marked as “non-public.”
According to the outlet, some of the leaked documents are dated as recently as October 2024, indicating that the breach is recent. The hackers are reportedly demanding $5 million in ransom to avoid further exposure of the stolen data.
Hungarian authorities have remained tight-lipped about whether negotiations with the hackers are underway. The Ministry of National Defense has not responded to requests for comment from Recorded Future News.
