Following a large-scale data-wiping attack, Stryker, a prominent medical technology firm based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has sent over 5,000 employees home from its largest hub in Ireland. The incident, attributed to the Iranian hacktivist group Handala, has resulted in the shutdown of Stryker’s offices across 79 nations after data was erased from more than 200,000 systems, including servers and mobile devices.
Reports indicate that Stryker is facing a building emergency at its U.S. headquarters, as confirmed by a voicemail message. Employees have resorted to using WhatsApp to receive updates on their work status, as communication networks have been severely affected. The attack is reportedly a response to a recent missile strike attributed to the U.S. that resulted in significant casualties in Iran.
Handala, which emerged in late 2023 and is linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, announced their actions via a manifesto on Telegram, claiming to have taken control of the data to promote “the true advancement of humanity.” Stryker, which reported $25 billion in global sales last year and employs around 56,000 people globally, is currently dealing with the ramifications of this cyber incident.