Roger Hacker, 49ers vice president of corporate communications, declined to comment when CNN asked if ransomware was involved in the incident.
The incident appears to be “limited to our corporate computer network” and did not affect computer systems involved in team stadium operations or systems related to ticket holders, the 49ers said in a statement. at CNN.
“Upon learning of the incident, we immediately opened an investigation and took action to contain the incident,” the statement said.
The 49ers hired cybersecurity firms to recover from the incident and notified law enforcement officials, the franchise said.
“As the investigation continues, we are working diligently to restore the systems involved as quickly and safely as possible,” the 49ers said.
Hackers behind a type of ransomware known as BlackByte have listed the 49ers on their website as suspected victims, a tactic cybercriminals often use to pressure organizations into paying a ransom. .
The FBI and the Secret Service told US companies in a Feb. 11 advisory to be on the lookout for BlackByte ransomware, which the agencies said had been used to compromise US organizations in the areas of government facilities, finance, food and agriculture.
The Biden administration has sought to aggressively crack down on the system that allows ransomware to thrive, whether it’s helping stop suspected ransomware agents in Europe or sanctioning cryptocurrency exchanges that facilitate payment of ransoms.
But while some ransomware groups have scaled back their attacks, others have continued to try to extort American companies. Cybercriminals received more than $1.2 billion in ransom payments in 2020 and 2021 combined, according to cryptocurrency tracking firm Chainalysis.
CNN’s Emma Tucker contributed to this report.
