German drone manufacturer Quantum Systems announced that it was the target of a cyberattack at the end of October. The company, based near Munich, said that an internal investigation had established that an active attack had been carried out by “hostile actors.”
“The threat was contained thanks to the swift response of our information technology and security teams, which worked closely with the relevant authorities and with full transparency,” Quantum Systems said.
The manufacturer assures that there is no risk to end users and operators when using its unmanned systems. The incident is being investigated jointly with government authorities, as well as with external and internal cybersecurity experts.
Bundeswehr suspends use of drones
According to a report by the Financial Times, the German armed forces have withdrawn Quantum Systems drones as a precautionary measure. The information has not been officially confirmed by the German Ministry of Defence, which declined to comment on the media reports.
The difference between the company’s position and the report on the Bundeswehr’s actions concerns the measures taken after the attack was identified. Quantum Systems claims that using the unmanned systems poses no risk, while according to the Financial Times, the German armed forces have taken the precautionary step of suspending some operations.
Drones are also used in Ukraine
Quantum Systems systems are also used by the Ukrainian armed forces in their defence against Russia. The company says that manufacturers at the forefront of support for Ukraine are becoming targets of attacks because their work is of critical importance to the security of their customers.
“The incident is being investigated in cooperation with government authorities, as well as with external and internal cybersecurity experts,” the company said.
Quantum Systems added that it has plans to limit the consequences of similar threats and seeks to maintain high standards for the security of data and systems. So far, it has not been reported who was behind the attack or what specific data and systems were affected.
Sources: bta.bg, br.de, deutschlandfunk.de