Based in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Bugnard SA, a company specialising in equipment for electricians, has been living a real nightmare ever since a cyberattack by the Akira group paralysed all of its operations. On 24 September, at the end of the day, its IT systems were entirely encrypted, making it impossible to manage orders, stock and logistics. The hackers are demanding a ransom of several hundred thousand dollars in bitcoin. In the meantime, the 30 employees are trying to maintain a minimum of activity, often by hand, for their 4,800 loyal customers. ⚙️📦
CEO Christian Degouy describes a company that has “gone back to pen and paper”, deprived of its essential digital tools. Despite the fatigue and the pressure, he remains hopeful of getting back up and running without giving in to the hackers. This attack is a reminder that even local SMEs are prime targets for cybercriminals. To avoid the worst, three essential habits: enable two-factor authentication, back up your data offline and keep your systems up to date.💡
👉 At Awareness Expert, we support companies in prevention and awareness in the face of these risks.