'No data at risk at any time' - Eden Park reassures after catering partner reportedly hit by ransomware

Eden Park in Auckland. Photo / Getty Images

The Eden Park Trust is reassuring sports fans, and partners that no data has ever been at risk following a report of a ransomware attack on its catering partner, the Melbourne-based O'Brien Group.

"We can confirm that at no time was Eden Park Trust data at risk or compromised due to this incident," a trust spokeswoman said.

"And we can assure our partners, patrons, functions clients and team members that our data and processes are secure."

Eden Park Catering is the exclusive caterer at Eden Park and delivers all retail, corporate and function catering at the stadium and is a wholly owned subsidiary of O'Brien Group, the spokeswoman said. The Eden Park Trust owns and operates Eden Park, the spokeswoman said (a Stuff report, later corrected, described O'Brien Group as the operator of Eden Park).

"The Eden Park Trust and venue systems are separate from O'Brien Group systems and at no time was any data at risk of breach," the spokeswoman said.

"Trust data is well protected in line with cybersecurity best-practice, and our security measures are continuously monitored to ensure all networks and databases remain secure."

O'Brien Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A ransomware specialist with a New Zealand-based company told the Herald he had cited a post by the LockBit ransomware gang on the dark web. LockBit provided a link to download what it said were O'Brien Group files.

The O'Brien Group operates a string of venues in Australia, including The Gabba and Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, the Adelaide Showground, and a number of boutique hotels.

There have been no reports of its operations being disrupted.

The cybersecurity specialist said the appearance of files online could be an indication that the victim has refused to pay up - although drip-feeding stolen files into the public arena could also be sued as a pressure tactic.

GCSB director-general Andrew Hampton recently warned about a possible rise in attacks by ransomware gangs - many of whom are based in Russia or Eastern Europe.

Hampton said that while ransomware attackers were usually commercially motivated, a number had threatened revenge attacks on targets in countries that have supported Ukraine.