Beneteau to Suspend Some Production After Cyberattack

(Bloomberg) -- French boat manufacturer Beneteau SA said it will slow down or stop some of its production after a cyberattack.

The company detected a malware intrusion during the night of Feb. 18 to Feb. 19 and disconnected its information systems to prevent a further spread, it said in a statement on Sunday. While the deployment of backup systems will allow Beneteau’s activities to start again, production at some of its units, particularly in France, will have to slow down or stop for a few days.

“Alongside this, investigations will continue moving forward with a view to fully restoring all of the group’s systems,” it said.

The impact on the company’s earnings will be covered by the group’s insurance policy, according to the statement. Further information will be provided when it announces its full-year financial results on Feb. 25.

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a plan to bolster the country’s defenses after two French hospitals were attacked by ransomwares. Earlier, French cybersecurity agency ANSSI warned that an attack similar to one used by Russian military hackers has been penetrating companies that use Centreon software for three years, between 2017 and 2020.

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