Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2026
ATF confirms data breach after ransomware group claims attack
Issue disclosure
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed that a ransomware group gained access to a standalone computer system containing information about investigation targets, after the Qilin ransomware group publicized a claimed breach on Wednesday. The ATF said the affected system was quickly shut down and an investigation is ongoing, and the episode was designated a "major incident," triggering congressional reporting requirements.
Company response
Investigation — Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Roman said the affected system was “quickly shut down when the breach was discovered,” and that an investigation is ongoing.
Source excerpt
A ransomware group gained access to a computer system containing information about targets of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a spokesperson for the U.S. agency said after a hacking group publicized a claimed breach on Wednesday.
The "major incident" designation means the breach could result in harm to national security or civil liberties and triggers congressional reporting requirements.
Qilin, a prolific ransomware operation thought to be Russian-based or Russian-speaking, posted a message on its website on Wednesday, in which it claimed responsibility for the compromise.