Volkswagen experienced a large-scale cyberattack between 2010 and 2015. The attackers, believed to be Chinese state-sponsored hackers, repeatedly infiltrated the IT systems of Volkswagen, Audi, and Bentley, stealing approximately 19,000 files. Here are the details…
Why Was Volkswagen Targeted by Chinese Hackers?
The stolen files contained information on electric vehicle technologies, engines, transmissions, and other critical technological areas. The attackers operated from IP addresses linked to a Chinese military intelligence agency near Beijing.
The software used and the hackers’ behavior strongly indicated that this group comprised Chinese state-backed hackers. Volkswagen noticed the attacks in 2014 and launched a counterattack in 2015 during a weekend in China.
The company shut down a significant portion of its network and cleaned over 90 servers that the attackers had accessed. Volkswagen significantly strengthened its IT security infrastructure after the cyberattack. The company discovered that the attackers had been analyzing its IT system since 2010.
The attackers successfully infiltrated several times between 2011 and 2014. Details of the attacks emerged from internal company documents. German companies, including Volkswagen, often face cyberattacks.
Volkswagen is experiencing major sales losses in the Chinese market. Especially electric car sales seem to have triggered this market loss.
Such attacks have also occurred at other companies like Thyssenkrupp and KaDeWe. US and allied security agencies have identified a Chinese hacker group, “Volt Typhoon,” targeting critical infrastructure.
These threats underscore the importance of strengthening cybersecurity measures. The cyberattack on Volkswagen indicates that companies need to prioritize cybersecurity more heavily.
The fact that Chinese hackers targeted Volkswagen to steal significant data from large companies reveals that industrial espionage poses a serious threat. Companies must continually update their security measures and remain vigilant against threats to better protect their networks.
Why do you think the German electric vehicle sector is targeted by China? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
