A ransomware gang going by the name of Ransomed.vc claims to have hacked Sony Group Corp. and is offering for sale the data it has stolen.

The claimed hack was first reported today by Cybersecurity Connect, which writes that the Ransomed.vc ransomware gang has been operating for only a short time. Ransomed.vc is reported to have included some proof-of-hack data, but it’s noted as not being compelling information.

The group is said to have originally posted the details of the hack on both its regular internet site and its dark web site. However, the group’s regular site has been taken offline along with its social media accounts. The hack is still listed on its dark web site (pictured), with the group claiming to “have successfully compromissed [sic] all of sony systems” and that it’s not interested in ransoming the data and instead wants to sell it.

The price being requested for the stolen is not listed. The group asked would-be buyers to contact it on the Tox messaging service.

Sony is not the only company listed on the Ransomed.vc dark web site. The group also claims to have hacked Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo and is demanding a ransom payment of $1.015 million not to release stolen data. There are also dozens of other victims listed on the site, although most are small companies.

Ransomed.vc first emerged in late August. Incident Response Analyst Ron Kaminsky wrote on LinkedIn that the group has adopted a unique tactic involving the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. The group threatens compromised companies with the prospect of GDPR fines after breaching their sites.

“In essence, Ransomed VC is leveraging the fear of these substantial fines to extort money from companies,” Kaminsky explained. “This is an unusual approach, as most extortion or ransomware groups typically focus on encrypting data and demanding a ransom for its release, rather than exploiting data protection laws for financial gain.”

As of the time of writing, Sony has neither confirmed nor denied that it has been hacked by Ransomed.vc.

Presuming the claims by Ransomed.vc are true, this is not the first time that Sony has been hacked. The company was targeted by North Korean-linked hackers in 2014, causing it to delay the release of a movie about North Korea. The hack also resulted in network issues, the embarrassing exposure of internal correspondence and secrets, including financials and movie scripts and the release of personal details of celebrities.

Image: Ransomed.vc/SiliconANGLE