Kubota says hackers had month-long access to network systems

Kubota North America Corporation disclosed that hackers had access to some of its network systems for more than a month earlier this year.

Following an investigation into the incident, the company determined that between March 16 and April 20 the threat actor accessed files with personal information for employees and their dependents.

Kubota is a Japanese industrial manufacturer known for its agricultural and construction equipment. It operates in 120 countries, employs more than 52,000 people, and has a reported annual revenue of $20 billion.

Its North American division includes facilities that produce tractors, mowers, and utility vehicles.

According to the announcement posted on the Kubota USA site, the following employee data may have been exposed:

• Full names (also for dependents)
• Social Security numbers (also for dependents)
• Dates of birth (also for dependents)
• Taxpayer IDs
• Driver's license or other government ID numbers
• Direct deposit bank account information
• Corporate payment card information
• Benefits enrollment and limited claims data (also for dependents)

The exact data types exposed vary per individual, and Kubota started sending personalized notifications via email on June 30, informing each individual about the specific impact on them.

The notifications include instructions for enrolling in Kroll identity protection to help victims mitigate the risks arising from the exposure of their sensitive data.

In the letters, Kubota specifically advises recipients to monitor healthcare-related statements, as well as bank accounts, and to immediately report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

Kubota says it has implemented additional security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

At the time of writing, no data extortion groups or ransomware gangs have assumed responsibility for the attack at Kubota.

The company did not mention facing any operational or business disruptions as a result of this incident.

BleepingComputer has contacted Kubota to ask for more information about the perpetrators and the nature of the attack, but we have not received a response by publication time.