Major Cyberattack Disrupts 5 VARTA AG Production Facilities

The German battery manufacturer VARTA AG has encountered a cyberattack that compelled the temporary cessation of production at five of the company’s facilities.

Due to the assault on a segment of the company’s IT infrastructure, operations of IT systems had to be halted and disconnected from the internet to ensure security. The full extent of the damage from the incident remains unclear. Although the incident bears all the hallmarks of a ransomware attack, it has not yet been determined whether the attack was of this nature, and no major group has claimed responsibility for the event.

In response to the attack, the company activated an emergency plan, establishing a task force composed of cybersecurity experts and computer forensics specialists to assist in system recovery. For VARTA, a priority is the preservation of data integrity, for which a decision was made to proactively disconnect the systems.

The halt of production operations at five plants without a clear timeline for the resumption of normal operations led to a 4.75% drop in VARTA’s stock prices following the announcement of the cyberattack.

VARTA, which manufactures batteries for the automotive industry, consumer, and industrial needs, and is partially owned by Energizer Holdings, boasts a history of more than 136 years in research and development and sells its products worldwide. The company’s annual revenue exceeds $875 million.