BK Technologies, a Florida-based company that manufactures mission-critical radios for US police, fire, and defense agencies, has admitted to a cyberattack that temporarily disrupted its IT systems. The incident began around September 20, when the company detected “potentially suspicious activity” and immediately took action. BK isolated the affected systems and brought in a team of external experts to manage the incident. While a “limited number of non-critical systems” were impacted, the company stated in a filing with the SEC that its operations continued “in all material respects” throughout the disruption.
The company now believes that an unauthorized third party successfully infiltrated its network and stole non-public information. This stolen data may include records belonging to both current and former employees. Although BK Technologies did not specify the exact type of data compromised or the number of individuals affected, it did acknowledge that it is still working to determine the full “nature and scope” of the theft. Law enforcement has been notified, and the company plans to issue notifications to affected individuals and regulatory bodies. The intruder has since been removed from the network, and all system access has been restored.
BK Technologies expects that the majority of the costs associated with the cleanup will be covered by insurance. The company also stated that it does not anticipate the incident will significantly impact its financial status. The company’s radios are marketed as being “unsurpassed in reliability” for emergency services and military units. Given this focus on reliability, any cybersecurity incident, no matter how small, is a serious concern for the company.
At present, no group or individual has claimed responsibility for the cyberattack. BK Technologies has also not disclosed whether any of its customers were directly affected by the breach. The company insists that its operations are now fully back to normal.
For a business built on providing reliable communication during emergencies, even a minor cyber incident is an unwelcome disruption. The company’s reputation for dependability is paramount, and any hint of a security vulnerability is the kind of static it aims to avoid.
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