Kyocera AVX Components Corporation Data Breach

Kyocera AVX Components Corporation (KAVX), a subsidiary of the Japanese semiconductor giant Kyocera, has recently experienced a data breach that resulted in the exposure of personal information belonging to 39,111 individuals. The breach was the result of a ransomware attack.

KAVX is a leading American manufacturer of advanced electronic components. With over ten thousand specialists and an impressive annual revenue of $1.3 billion, the company has established itself as a trusted industry player.

According to the data breach notification sent to affected individuals, KAVX discovered on October 10, 2023, that hackers had gained unauthorized access to its systems between February 16 and March 30, 2023.

“On March 30, 2023, KAVX experienced a cybersecurity incident that affected servers located in Greenville and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA. This incident resulted in the encryption of a limited number of systems and a temporary disruption of certain services,” reads the notice.

KAVX later determined that the compromised servers contained personal information of individuals from around the world. The exact details of the exposed information are yet to be disclosed, but it has been confirmed that at least full names and Social Security Numbers (SSNs) were included.

The company emphasizes that there is currently no evidence to suggest that the stolen data has been misused by the cyber-criminals. However, KAVX acknowledges the associated risk of identity theft and fraud and urges the affected individuals to exercise caution.

In response to the breach, KAVX has taken proactive measures to support the impacted individuals. The company will cover the costs of a 12-month dark web monitoring and password leak service to help detect and prevent potential identity theft.

LockBit Ransomware Gang Takes Responsibility

The LockBit ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for compromising KAVX. On May 26, 2023, the gang added KAVX to its data leak site, indicating that the breach had occurred. As proof, the threat actors published several samples of the stolen data on their extortion portal. These samples included passport scans, financial documents, non-disclosure agreements, and other sensitive information.

This incident is particularly concerning as it has the potential to expose proprietary designs and patented information to competitors. LockBit’s leak of component schematics and technical drawings further amplifies the risks associated with the breach.