Cognizant hit by 'Maze' ransomware attack

(Reuters) — Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. on Saturday said it was hit by a "Maze" ransomware cyberattack, resulting in service disruptions for some of its clients.

The information technology services provider said it was taking steps to contain the incident, with the help of cyber defense companies, and has also engaged with law enforcement authorities.

Ransomware is a type of malicious program used by hackers to take control of files in an infected system and then demand hefty payments to recover them.

According to cybersecurity firm McAfee, hackers who deploy Maze threaten to release information on the internet if the targeted companies fail to pay.

"We are in ongoing communication with our clients and have provided them with indicators of compromise and other technical information of a defensive nature," Cognizant added.

It did not respond to a request from Reuters for further comments on the incident.

The Maze operators denied responsibility for the cyberattack, according to security website BleepingComputer. However, the report added that Maze is likely not discussing it to avoid complications at this early stage.

Chubb Ltd. in March was hit by a computer security incident that may have involved unauthorized access to data held by an outside service provider. A group that deploys the Maze ransomware claimed to have locked up devices on Chubb's network during March, according to BleepingComputer.