French defense contractor Naval Group, a cornerstone of Europe’s naval defense industry, is facing a high-stakes cybersecurity crisis. A threat actor known as “Neferpitou” claims to have exfiltrated 1TB of sensitive data, including combat management system (CMS) source code for submarines and frigates, technical documents, developer virtual machines, and internal communications. Initially demanding payment within 72 hours, Neferpitou later posted the entire dataset on DarkForums, a cybercrime hub that has surged in activity since the collapse of BreachForums.
Naval Group, partly owned by Thales, denies any breach of its IT systems or operational disruption, labeling the event a “reputational attack.” They argue the claims may involve recycled data from a 2022 Thales breach by LockBit. Still, the gravity of the allegations—potentially exposing restricted and classified defense data—has triggered urgent investigations involving cybersecurity experts, Naval Group’s CERT, and French authorities.
The incident reflects the rise of multi-extortion tactics in cybercrime, where threat actors don’t just encrypt or steal data but also weaponize reputation and public perception to pressure victims. In this case, the alleged breach raises pressing questions about the vulnerability of defense contractors, the credibility of cyber extortion claims, and the growing influence of platforms like DarkForums in shaping the cybercrime ecosystem.
As defense supply chains grow more interconnected, such attacks carry serious national security implications, potentially offering adversaries insights into critical naval capabilities. This episode examines the authenticity of Neferpitou’s claims, the geopolitical stakes, the evolution of cyber extortion beyond ransom notes, and why defense contractors are now prime targets in the digital battlefield.
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