Cyberattack Hits French Museums During Paris Olympics, Brain Cipher Claims Responsibility

The Brain Cipher ransomware group has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on the French National Museums network during the recent Paris Olympics. The attack, which occurred between August 3rd and 4th, targeted dozens of national museums and institutions under the Réunion des Musées Nationaux – Grand Palais (RMN-GP), including the Le Grand Palais, the venue for the Olympic Games. While Le Grand Palais reported no operational impact, suggesting no systems were encrypted or data stolen, the French National Cybersecurity and Information Systems Security Agency (ANSSI) and the National Commission for Informatics and Liberties (CNIL) are investigating the incident. ANSSI confirmed providing assistance to the Grand Palais RMN, emphasizing the incident did not affect the information systems for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Brain Cipher, known for using the LockBit 3.0 ransomware builder, released a statement claiming to have stolen 300GB of data, setting a countdown for its public release. While details of the stolen data remain undisclosed, cybersecurity researchers believe Brain Cipher’s ransomware utilizes a more sophisticated obfuscation technique than the LockBit builder, making analysis challenging.