Ransomware Attack Hits Marinette Marine Shipyard, Results in Short-Term Delay of Frigate, Freedom LCS Construction

The Wisconsin shipyard that builds the U.S. Navy’s Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship and the Constellation-class guided-missile frigate suffered a ransomware attack last week that delayed production across the shipyard, USNI News has learned.

Fincantieri Marinette Marine experienced the attack in the early morning hours of April 12, when large chunks of data on the shipyard’s network servers were rendered unusable by an unknown professional group, two sources familiar with a Navy summary of the attack told USNI News on Thursday.

In a typical ransomware attack, attackers take the information on a server, encrypt it and set terms for a key that will unlock the data.

The attack on Marinette Marine targeted servers that held data used to feed instructions to the shipyard’s computer numerical control manufacturing machines, knocking them offline for several days. CNC-enabled machines are the backbone of modern manufacturing, taking specifications developed with design software and sending instructions to devices like welders, cutters, bending machines and other computer-controlled tools.

Based on information from the Navy, it’s unclear if the attackers stole any data.

In a statement to USNI News, Marinette Marine acknowledged there had been a cybersecurity incident at the shipyard.

“Fincantieri Marine Group experienced a cybersecurity incident last week that is causing a temporary disruption to certain computer systems on its network. The company’s network security officials immediately isolated systems and reported the incident to relevant agencies and partners. Fincantieri Marine Group brought in additional resources to investigate and to restore full functionality to the affected systems as quickly as possible, “ reads a statement from Fincantieri spokesman Eric Dent.

“Repair and construction operations continue at all three U.S. shipyards, however the company’s email and some networked operations remain off-line for now.”

Fincantieri would not elaborate beyond the statement. A Lockheed Martin spokesperson acknowledged a request for comment from USNI News but did not…