Hackers steal 1.5 million files from Saudi construction firm, cybersecurity group says

Hackers have stolen over 1.5 million files from a Saudi Arabian construction firm, a cybersecurity firm has reported. The breach involved 17 terabytes of data, including documents, contracts, payment information, stadium designs, and personal details of 150,000 employees from the China Railway Railway Construction Corporation / Sama Construction consortium.

This occurred on October 3. The breach was attributed to a group commonly known as WallStreet by Hackmanac, a UAE-based cybersecurity analysis firm. The consortium is the main contractor for the Jeddah Central Stadium, a planned venue for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. WallStreet claims to have breached the CRCC Saudi Branch / Sama Construction consortium, classifying the incident as one of the most severe attacks they have encountered.

SOCRadar, another cybersecurity firm, noted that WallStreet gained prominence this year and uses double-extortion tactics, targeting various sectors with sensitive data breaches to pressure victims into compliance. The group has reportedly carried out at least 32 attacks worldwide. Saudi Arabia was chosen as the host nation for the 2034 World Cup two years ago, with tentative plans to host the tournament in 15 stadiums across five cities, including eight in Riyadh.

Eleven of these stadiums are to be built for the event, including the proposed 92,000-seat King Salman Stadium. Yasser Al Misehal, the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, has stated that host cities will be connected by state-of-the-art facilities to ensure an exceptional fan experience.