Akka is hit by a ransomware cyberattack

Akka Technologies, a French engineering and consulting group, was hit by a ransomware cyberattack that affected a large part of the company. It has approximately 21,000 employees.

Cyberattack targets Akka

It is a ransomware attack, in which the hacker encrypts his victim’s data and demands a ransom to provide the decryption keys. Akka Technologies does not want to give details on the extent of the attack, so as not to inform the attacker.

Stéphanie Bia, director of communications and investor relations for the group, told AFP that the attack took place on the night of May 23 to 24. She adds that all communications with customers and her parent company have been cut off to prevent the transmission of malicious code. She assures that the company was well prepared for the possibility of an attack, with very clear procedures to follow.

Akka is one of the major European engineering and technology consulting groups. It has just been bought by the Swiss group Adecco, which withdrew it from the stock market in early May. Adecco will merge the company with its subsidiary Modis, which also specializes in engineering trades, to create a new engineering services giant capable of competing with major players in the sector such as Cap Gemini.

Like all companies in the sector, Akka had been very shaken by the Covid-19 crisis, which led the automotive and aeronautics groups, its main clients, to freeze their research and development programs.