The German military has suspended flights of Quantum Systems UAVs after a cyber attack. The Financial Times.
The Bundeswehr has suspended the operation of UAVs developed by the defense start-up Quantum Systems following a cyber attack on the company.
This is a new case where the European arms industry has become the target of a hostile actor.
According to sources, the German army took precautions after an incident with a company from Bavaria.
The decision prevented one of the most successful defense startups in Europe, worth 7 billion euros, from taking part in the latest exercise.
Quantum reported to customers that a malicious update file was being distributed through a server that distributed updates to its ground control and mission planning system QBase, the sources said.
The group, which has contracts with the armed forces of Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, identified the incident in late October.
"An immediate internal investigation revealed an active cyber attack by hostile individuals," the statement said. "Due to the operational measures taken and the nature of the event, operating unmanned systems of quantum systems does not pose a risk to end users and operators," the company said.
She did not say who is suspected of organizing the attack.
Earlier, German domestic intelligence warned that the country's defense sector, especially companies supporting Ukraine, are at increased risk of attacks from Russia, including cyber attacks, espionage and sabotage.
Quantum Systems has more than 200 employees in Ukraine and has three joint ventures with Ukrainian companies.
Together they produce small attack UAVs, as well as interceptor UAVs and unmanned ground vehicles.