Sweden falls victim to several cyberattacks

Since January 2024, several Swedish organizations have been targeted by a series of ransomware attacks. The cybercriminal group "Akira" is behind most of these hacks.

On the night between 18 and 19 January 2024, Akira managed to gain access to data belonging to numerous customers of Tietoevry, a Swedish-Finnish technology company.

That same night, the Municipality of Bjuv, located in the southwest of the country, suffered a similar cyberattack. In a message displayed on the IT staff's screens, Akira demanded a ransom, which Bjuv refused to pay.

The hackers threatened to publish 200 gigabits of confidential data, including agreements and municipal personnel files, on the Dark Web.

The town of Kalmar, on Sweden's east coast, was also the target of an attack on 7 February 2024. Another victim, the Rusta retail chain, has estimated that it could lose up to 70 million SEK (6.8 million USD) in revenue as a result of cyber losses.

The region's hospitals also fell prey to hackers, who prevented healthcare professionals from accessing the medication management system.