Foxconn Hit by Ransomware Attack Claiming Theft of Apple Project Data

Foxconn, Apple's primary manufacturing partner, has suffered a cyberattack by a ransomware syndicate claiming to have stolen 8 terabytes of corporate data. The hackers say the files include schematics and project details tied to Apple, Google, Nvidia, and Dell.



The extortion group, known as Nitrogen, listed the electronics manufacturing giant on its dark web breach site earlier this week. In response to the claims, Foxconn confirmed that certain North American factories recently "suffered a cyberattack." The company said affected facilities are currently resuming normal production following the outages, according to details shared by Wired.


Nitrogen emerged in 2023 and has steadily targeted manufacturing, technology, and retail companies across North America and Western Europe. Security researchers say the ransomware was built using repurposed Conti 2 code, but contains a flaw that makes encrypted systems impossible to decrypt even if attackers later wanted to restore access after payment. As a result, stolen data and public leak threats appear to be the group's main source of leverage.

Foxconn is considered an especially valuable target because it manufactures products and components for many of the world's largest technology companies while storing sensitive customer intellectual property. The company has faced multiple ransomware incidents in recent years, including attacks on facilities in Mexico by the DoppelPaymer and LockBit groups. Earlier this year, another ransomware collective threatened to leak confidential Apple engineering files stolen from Luxshare, another key Apple supplier.

As Apple's largest assembly partner, Foxconn plays a central role in the production of devices like the iPhone and other upcoming hardware projects. The company is reportedly handling trial production for Apple's first foldable iPhone and establishing Mac mini assembly lines in Texas. It remains unclear whether any specific Apple data was compromised in the latest breach.