Executive Summary

The Everest ransomware group has publicly claimed a major cyberattack against American automotive giant Chrysler. On December 25, 2025, the threat actors posted on their dark web leak site, asserting they had stolen 1,088 GB (over 1 TB) of sensitive corporate data. The allegedly exfiltrated data includes a comprehensive database related to company operations from 2021-2025 and a substantial 105 GB of Salesforce data. This incident, if confirmed, is a classic double-extortion attack, where the attackers threaten to publicly release the stolen data to pressure the victim into paying a ransom. Chrysler has not yet issued a statement on the matter.

Threat Overview

• Threat Actor: Everest, a known ransomware group that practices double extortion.
• Victim: Chrysler, a major U.S. automaker.
• Claimed Impact: Exfiltration of 1.08 TB of data. This includes a "full database" of operations and 105+ GB of Salesforce data.
• Tactic: The claim was made on the group's leak site, a common tactic used in T1490 - Inhibit System Recovery by adding public pressure. The attack was timed around a holiday, a strategy to exploit reduced security staffing.

Technical Analysis

While Chrysler has not confirmed the breach, the claims made by Everest provide insight into the potential scope and TTPs. Stealing over 1 TB of data, including structured Salesforce data and operational databases, is a significant undertaking that implies prolonged and deep access to the corporate network.

Likely Attacker TTPs:

• Initial Access: Everest has been known to use various methods, including exploiting vulnerabilities in public-facing infrastructure (T1190) or using stolen credentials (T1078).
• Discovery: Once inside, the group would have performed extensive network reconnaissance (T1046 - Network Service Discovery) to locate high-value data repositories like database servers and cloud service connections.
• Collection: The attackers would have targeted specific data sources. Accessing Salesforce data could involve T1530 - Data from Cloud Storage Object or compromising an API integration. The "full database" was likely collected via T1213 - Data from Information Repositories.
• Exfiltration: T1567.002 - Exfiltration to Cloud Storage is a common method for exfiltrating large volumes of data, as it can be difficult to distinguish from legitimate business traffic.
• Impact: The final stage involves T1486 - Data Encrypted for Impact, although the primary threat in this claim is the data leak.

Impact Assessment

If Everest's claims are true, the impact on Chrysler would be high. The public release of over 1 TB of operational and customer data could be devastating, leading to:

• Competitive Disadvantage: Exposure of sensitive operational data, manufacturing processes, and future plans.
• Customer Data Breach: The Salesforce data likely contains sensitive customer and partner information, triggering regulatory fines (e.g., under GDPR or CCPA) and lawsuits.
• Reputational Damage: A breach of this scale would severely damage customer trust and the Chrysler brand.
• Operational Disruption: Even without encryption, the process of investigating and remediating such a deep compromise would cause significant disruption and financial cost.

Detection & Response

Detection Strategies:

1. Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): Deploy a CASB to monitor access to cloud services like Salesforce. A CASB can detect anomalous behavior, such as a single account downloading an unusually large volume of data (105 GB), and block the activity in real-time.
2. Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Implement network and endpoint DLP solutions to detect and block the exfiltration of large volumes of data matching predefined patterns (e.g., customer records, design documents).
3. Network Traffic Analysis (D3-NTA): Monitor network egress points for sustained, high-volume data transfers to unknown or suspicious destinations. Baselining normal traffic patterns is key to identifying such anomalies.

Response:

• Chrysler's security team should be working to validate Everest's claims through forensic analysis.
• If confirmed, they must identify the scope of the breach, contain the threat, and prepare for public disclosure and customer notification.
• Engage with law enforcement and a professional incident response firm.

Mitigation

Strategic Recommendations:

1. Encrypt Sensitive Information (M1041): All sensitive data, both at rest in databases and in transit, should be encrypted. While this doesn't prevent theft, it can render the stolen data useless if the encryption keys are not also compromised.
2. Limit Access to Resource Over Network (M1035): Segment the network to prevent attackers from moving laterally from a compromised workstation to a critical database server. Access to data repositories should be strictly controlled.
3. Multi-factor Authentication (M1032): Enforce MFA on all systems, especially for remote access and access to cloud services like Salesforce. This is a critical defense against credential-based attacks.
4. Audit (M1047): Implement comprehensive logging for database access and cloud service activity. Actively monitor these logs for suspicious patterns, such as bulk data exports or access from unusual locations.