Ethical Hacking News
INC ransom group claims responsibility for breaching Panama's Ministry of Economy and Finance, threatening to leak sensitive data including financial documents and internal emails. The breach highlights the vulnerability of even well-prepared organizations to cyber threats.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance in Panama announced a security breach on September 15, 2025, attributed to the INC ransom group. Critical systems remained safe, but one computer was compromised, with over 1.5 terabytes of sensitive data stolen. The INC ransom group claimed responsibility for the theft and threatened to publish a portion of the leaked data unless contacted by Ministry employees. The breach highlights the vulnerability of even well-prepared organizations to cyber threats and underscores the importance of ongoing cybersecurity measures.
Panama's Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) announced a security breach on September 15, 2025, after the threat actors, known as INC ransom group, claimed responsibility for the incident. The breach was reported to have compromised one computer in the ministry's infrastructure, with critical systems remaining safe.
According to the MEF statement, "The Ministry of Economy and Finance informs the public that today it detected an incident involving malicious software at one of the offices of the Ministry," reads the statement issued by MEF last week. The established security protocols were activated immediately, reinforcing the preventive measures throughout the computer system to contain the intrusion. It is essential to note that none of the central MEF platforms have been compromised and continue to operate with total normality.
The INC ransom group claimed responsibility for the theft of over 1.5 terabytes of sensitive and confidential data, including financial documents and internal emails. "We hacked the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Panama," reads a statement published by the ransomware group. "We have more than 1.5TB data at our disposal, including: internal mail, confidential data, budgets and much more. We publish a small part of the information, but we will post a lot of interesting things in the public domain if the employees of the ministry do not make contact with us."
The INC ransom group has been active since 2023, claiming responsibility for breaches at several organizations, including Xerox Business Solution and McLaren Health Care. The group's actions suggest a pattern of targeting government institutions and other organizations with sensitive information.
MEF reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding institutional and personal information, stressing that it follows industry best practices to prevent future incidents. However, the breach highlights the vulnerability of even well-prepared organizations to cyber threats.
The implications of this incident are significant, as it may set a precedent for other organizations to prioritize their cybersecurity measures. The response from MEF demonstrates a proactive approach in containing and mitigating the damage, but it also underscores the importance of ongoing vigilance in protecting against increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks.
In conclusion, the breach of Panama's Ministry of Economy and Finance serves as a stark reminder of the ever-evolving nature of cyber threats. As organizations navigate this complex landscape, they must prioritize robust cybersecurity measures to prevent such incidents from occurring.
INC ransom group claims responsibility for breaching Panama's Ministry of Economy and Finance, threatening to leak sensitive data including financial documents and internal emails. The breach highlights the vulnerability of even well-prepared organizations to cyber threats.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/INC-Ransom-Group-Claims-Breach-of-Panamas-Ministry-of-Economy-and-Finance-Threatening-to-Leak-Sensitive-Data-ehn.shtml
https://securityaffairs.com/182203/data-breach/panamas-ministry-of-economy-and-finance-data-breach.html
Published: Mon Sep 15 01:34:39 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
