Stark Aerospace, a US missile systems and aerial weapons manufacturer based in Mississippi, was targeted by the INC Ransom group. The group claims to have exfiltrated 4TB of sensitive data, including source code, design plans, employee passports, and UAV firmware. Stark Aerospace supplies the Department of Defense and other clients, including Boeing and General Dynamics. Some of the sensitive technology held by Stark Aerospace is used for military and maritime surveillance, border patrol, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure inspection, including critical infrastructure such as bridges, power lines, and pipelines. This highly sensitive data could pose significant risks if accessed by adversarial nations like Russia, China, and North Korea.

The INC Ransom group is threatening to sell data that includes sensitive military information, production programs, and cybersecurity configurations, though a deadline for Stark’s response has not been specified. Founded in July 2023, the INC Ransom group historically targets the US, UK, and Australia and claims to have victimized at least 135 organizations, including healthcare institutions and municipalities. The group’s tactics often include spear phishing and multi-extortion methods. This incident underscores ongoing vulnerabilities faced by US government contractors, as exemplified by previous attacks, such as the US Treasury breach.