Stryker cyberattack Q&A: Who is responsible and why was the Cork-based company targeted?

The Stryker cyber attack could be seen as a logical continuation of Iranian reprisals, causing havoc with an important American multinational

What has happened and who is responsible?

Stryker, an American multinational medical technology firm with a European research and manufacturing hub based in Cork, has been hit with a cyberattack known as a ‘wiper’. 

This kind of offensive is a more rare variety, in that it is not designed to extort the target, but rather to hurt them technologically. 

The ‘wipe’ in question refers to the victim’s data being permanently deleted, an event which could play havoc with a company’s workflows.

Why has Stryker been targeted?

It’s understood that the entity behind the Stryker attack — Handala Hack — is Iranian in origin. 

Given the current geopolitical crisis in the Middle East, which began after the US Government moved — in tandem with Israel — to attack hostile state Iran and killed its ruler, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the attack would seem to be political in nature.

The Stryker cyberattack could be perceived as a logical technological continuation of reprisal tactics, causing havoc with the processes of an important American multinational.

How many employees does Stryker have in Ireland and beyond?

Stryker has 53,000 employees and has eight sites in Ireland where it employs 5,500 staff, more than 4,000 of whom are based in Cork.

The company has operated an Irish facility since 1998.

How has the hack impacted them?

The attack has had fundamental consequences for Stryker’s workstreams given it has disabled the majority of tech processes governing the Cork plant’s production assembly lines for its products and devices. 

While some of the machines used on those assembly lines remained operational today, they too may be shut off as the company moves to stem the damage wrought by the attack.

How serious can a cyber hack be?

Most cyber attacks nowadays involve the use of ransomware for the purposes of extortion, meaning that systems can be preserved or restored if the money demanded is paid. 

The majority of companies and agencies on the internet spend significant sums of money attempting to protect themselves from such attacks. 

A poorly-protected company can find itself in desperate trouble if a hostile entity takes over its systems.

What other notable cyber attacks have there been in Ireland? 

The most prominent attack in Irish history was the takedown of all of the HSE’s digital systems in a mass ransomware event in May 2021.

While no ransom was paid to the Russian-based cybercriminals responsible, the attack effectively returned the HSE to operating on analogue systems, crippling hospital services and compromising the personal data of over 100,000 patients. 

The subsequent cleanup operation lasted months and cost the HSE more than €100m to repair. 

Who are typically responsible for cyber attacks?

The internet knows no borders, though most criminal attacks will emanate from regions where cyber-criminals may feel safer operating, such as Russia or the Far East.