Shell’s Unfortunate Encounter with Clop Ransomware

Posted 17 June 2023  by John Donovan

Shell, the beacon of ethical conduct and environmental responsibility, has once again found itself at the mercy of the notorious Clop ransomware attacks. How surprising! The oil and gas behemoth, known for its unwavering commitment to polluting the planet, couldn’t escape the clutches of cybercriminals this time. Oh, the irony!

Reports reveal that the fearless Clop gang successfully breached Shell’s precious MOVEit file transfer tool, exposing the company’s vulnerability for the second time. Bravo, Shell! Your dedication to cutting-edge cybersecurity is truly awe-inspiring.

Despite Shell’s noble stature as a British oil and gas multinational, employing thousands of individuals worldwide, they couldn’t protect themselves from this onslaught. We can only imagine the sheer brilliance of their cybersecurity teams, tirelessly working to investigate an incident that has apparently left no impact on Shell’s core IT systems. Oh, what a relief!

A spokesperson for Shell had the audacity to admit, “We are aware of a cyber security incident…” No kidding! Your response to this crisis is truly commendable. Shell wants the world to know that only a “small number” of their employees and customers were affected by the breach. How comforting!

To add to Shell’s misery, it seems that other esteemed institutions in the United Kingdom, such as the BBC, British Airways, and Ofcom, also fell victim to the mighty Clop gang through their beloved MOVEit tool. But fear not, dear readers, because Shell and Ofcom, as direct users in “limited settings,” have been graced with minimal impact. Lucky them!

Ofcom revealed that a mere “limited amount of information” was stolen, including some confidential data and personal information of a few hundred employees. Nothing to worry about, right? Meanwhile, Transport for London, responsible for public transport, faced their own contractor’s data breach, which exposed the personal data of thousands of drivers. Shell must be thrilled to have such esteemed company!

Let’s not forget that this isn’t Shell’s first rodeo with the Clop gang. They were targeted in 2021 when the gang attacked Accellion’s file transfer appliance. It seems like Shell just can’t catch a break! Perhaps it’s time they invest their vast resources into something more meaningful, like protecting the environment instead of their precious files.

As the investigation unfolds, affected organizations, including Shell, are frantically scrambling to mitigate the consequences and secure their systems.

Oh, Shell, how we admire your unwavering dedication to both the environment and digital security. Your ability to weather such storms is truly remarkable. We eagerly await the day when your reputation shines as brightly as your oil spills.

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