North Dakota Produce Supplier Listed on Dark Web Leak Site
Nokota Packers, a long-established potato processing company based in North Dakota, has been named as a ransomware victim by a newly active threat actor group known as J Group. The group posted the company’s name on its dark web leak site and claims to have stolen 50 gigabytes of sensitive data from Nokota’s systems.
The leaked sample reportedly includes:
- Personal information
- Financial records
- Full financial statements
Cybercriminals use dark web leak sites to pressure victims into paying a ransom. These public listings often act as warnings, signaling to both victims and competitors that sensitive data will be released if payment is not made.
Hackers Attempting Full Data Dump
According to researchers at Cybernews, the attackers appear intent on releasing the full 50GB of data. Their analysis of the sample data suggests that the cybercriminals may have already begun making some of the stolen content available.
If the data exposure is confirmed, Nokota Packers could face serious cybersecurity and regulatory fallout. Leaked personal and financial data increases the risk of identity theft, and may also trigger compliance investigations depending on the jurisdictions and stakeholders involved.
We have reached out to Nokota Packers for confirmation and will update if the company responds.
Who Is J Group?
The J Group ransomware gang is a new entrant in the cybercrime scene, first appearing in February 2025. Despite being relatively new, the group has already made an impact. Cybernews’ dark web tracking tool, Ransomlooker, indicates that J Group has claimed at least 17 victims so far.
The group’s rapid activity and public extortion tactics suggest that it may be following a double extortion model, which combines system encryption with the threat of data publication to increase ransom pressure.
Enterprise Risk: Data Theft, Compliance, and Customer Exposure
For companies like Nokota Packers, a ransomware incident carries multiple layers of risk:
- Operational disruption, especially in supply chain-dependent industries
- Reputational damage if customer or partner data is exposed
- Regulatory scrutiny from data privacy agencies
- Financial liabilities from potential lawsuits or fines
The full scope of the breach is still unconfirmed, but even the claim of 50GB of stolen data should put enterprises on alert. This incident highlights the increasing reach of ransomware operators into industries traditionally not associated with high-tech targets.
