Naval Group, France’s leading defense contractor, has publicly denied claims of a significant cyber-attack after reports circulated online suggesting the firm’s internal systems had been breached. The company, which is majority-owned by the French government and recognized for its role in producing advanced naval vessels, including submarines and aircraft carriers, is at the center of a growing cybersecurity controversy.
Allegations Emerge Online
The controversy began when hackers posted on prominent data leak forums, alleging they had infiltrated Naval Group’s digital infrastructure and exfiltrated highly confidential material. According to attackers, the compromised data purportedly included source code for combat management systems deployed on French submarines and frigates, internal network architecture details, classified technical documents, developer virtual machine environments, and sensitive corporate communications. To bolster their claims, the alleged attackers released portions of the data online, totaling several gigabytes. Cybersecurity researchers who reviewed these samples noted that the information appeared authentic and related to Naval Group’s operations.
Naval Group’s Response
Naval Group has firmly pushed back against the cyber-attack allegations. In a series of statements, the company maintained, “Our investigations have found no intrusion into our IT environments.” The defense group characterized the situation as a “reputational attack” rather than evidence of actual network compromise. Naval Group further emphasized that there had been no operational disruptions and no ransom demand made directly to the company.
French government authorities are reportedly supporting the defense contractor in its ongoing internal investigation. “Safeguarding our systems and information remains our top priority, and we are working closely with the necessary state services,” Naval Group added.
