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Scrape Timestamp (UTC): 2024-03-06 18:17:15.432
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Duvel says it has "more than enough" beer after ransomware attack. Duvel Moortgat Brewery was hit by a ransomware attack late last night, bringing to a halt the beer production in the company's bottling facilities. Duvel is a Belgian beer brand best known for its strong and fruity golden pale ale bearing the same name. The brewery also makes other popular abbey beers such as Vedett, Maredsous, and La Chouffe that are enjoyed all over the world. Earlier today, a spokersperson for the company told local media that their automated threat detection systems flagged the ransomware attack. "At 1:30 AM last night, alarms went off in Duvel's IT department because ransomware was detected," stated Ellen Aarts, communications manager at Duvel Moortgat. "Therefore, production was immediately stopped. It is not yet known when it could restart. We hope to restart today or tomorrow," the company spokesperson added. Aarts added that even though they have no estimate for when production operations will return to normal, their warehouses are stocked, so there should be no impact on distribution. Beer enthusiasts on Reddit responded to the incident with humor, calling the situation a "national emergency" and asking for the actual number of "strategic reserves." Others expressed concern and frustration over potential price increases for specific Duvel beers if production takes a long time to restore to normal. The company did not clarify if the cyberattack impacts production only at Duvel's main brewery in Breendock or other facilities in Antwerp, Oudenaarde, and Achouffe, too. No ransomware gangs have claimed responsibility for the attack at Duvel at the time of writing. BleepingComputer has contacted Duvel to ask for more information about the attack, but a comment wasn't immediately available. While ransomware attacks often aim at data theft for extortion, the primary consequence in Duvel's situation is the interruption of its brewing operations. At the moment there is no info about the impact of the attack on company data.
Daily Brief Summary
Duvel Moortgat Brewery, known for its range of popular Belgian beers, was hit by a ransomware attack that stopped its beer production.
The company's automated threat detection systems identified the attack, which occurred late at night, prompting an immediate pause in production.
Duvel's communications manager reported that while the restart date for production is uncertain, there should be no impact on beer distribution due to ample stock.
Beer enthusiasts online reacted with humor but also expressed concerns over a potential increase in beer prices if the disruption is prolonged.
The extent of the attack on other company facilities is unclear, and no ransomware group has yet claimed responsibility for the cyber incident.
BleepingComputer reached out to Duvel for further information, but no immediate response was provided.
There's currently no information available about whether the attack has led to data theft or the possibility of extortion, only that brewing operations are affected.