RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have been hit by a ransomware attack, with cyber criminals claiming they stole some of the football team’s financial data.
The ransomware gang BlackByte recently posted some of the purportedly stolen team documents on a dark website in a file marked “2020 Invoices.”
The team said in a statement Sunday that it recently became aware of a “network security incident” that had disrupted some of its corporate IT network systems. The statement also says there's no indication any systems outside its corporate network were impacted, including those for stadium operations or ticket holders.
On Feb. 11, the FBI issued a cybersecurity advisory about BlackByte, which offered mitigation resources.
The 49ers are among the most valuable and storied franchises in the NFL. Forbes estimates the team's value at $4.175 billion.
This year, they lost in the playoffs to the Los Angeles Rams, which went on to win the Super Bowl.
