Austal , which is based in Henderson , Western Australia , is one of the country 's largest shipbuilders ; it has built vessels for the U.S. Navy . The company , which is listed on Australia 's ASX stock exchange , announced the breach late Thursday . The announcement came just a day after a security researcher in France posted Attack.Databreach screenshots on Twitter of the purported stolen data . Austal says the material is neither sensitive nor classified and that it has taken steps to secure its data systems. `` The data breach Attack.Databreach has had no impact on Austal 's ongoing operations , '' the company says . Austal 's business in the United States is unaffected by this issue , as the computer systems are not linked . A spokesman for Austal contacted on Friday says he could n't offer further information on the incident . The breach Attack.Databreach exposed Attack.Databreach ship design drawings that are distributed to customers , fabrication subcontractors and suppliers , Austal says . It also exposed Attack.Databreach `` some staff email addresses and mobile phone numbers . '' Those individuals have been informed as well as a `` small number '' of other stakeholders directly impacted by the breach , the company reports . Austal has contacted the Australian Cyber Security Center and the Australian Federal Police . The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner , which enforces the country 's data protection regulations `` will be involved as required , '' Austal says . Companies are increasingly being subjected to ransoms Attack.Ransom by hackers after their networks have been breached Attack.Databreach . Ransoms Attack.Ransom put companies in tough positions : risk public exposure of potentially embarrassing data , or risk paying a ransom Attack.Ransom and still face a chance the data could be released anyway . Security experts and law enforcement generally advise against paying ransoms Attack.Ransom , even after incidents of file-encrypting malware . But some companies have viewed the situation as either a cost of doing business or a shorter route to recovery . Late last month in the U.S , the city of West Haven , Connecticut , paid Attack.Ransom $ 2,000 to unlock 23 servers that had been infected with ransomware ( see : Connecticut City Pays Ransom Attack.Ransom After Crypto-Locking Attack ) . The city 's attorney , Lee Tiernan , was quoted by the Associated Press as saying `` research showed it was the best course of action . '' If the city did n't have a backup file , it may have had little choice .

In wake of last week ’ s ransomware attack Attack.Ransom , technology specialists warn that ‘ paying money Attack.Ransom to a criminal is never a good idea ’ Cybersecurity experts have warned businesses against meeting hackers ’ demands for money Attack.Ransom in the wake of the “unprecedented” attack Attack.Ransom on hundreds of thousands of computer systems around the world . Ransomware is a type of malicious software that blocks access to a computer or its data and demands money Attack.Ransom to release it . The worm used in Friday ’ s attack Attack.Ransom , dubbed WannaCry or WanaCrypt0r , encrypted more than 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries for ransoms Attack.Ransom of $ 300 to $ 600 to restore access . The full damage of the attack and its economic cost was still unclear , but Europol ’ s director , Rob Wainwright , said its global reach was precedented , and more victims were likely to become known in the coming days . The extent of the WannaCry attack Attack.Ransom prompted questions about what to do in the event of a ransomware infection , with many experts advising against paying the ransom Attack.Ransom , saying not only could it fail to release the data , it could expose victims to further risk . Peter Coroneos , the former chief executive of the Internet Industry Association and an expert on cyber policy , said whether or not to agree to ransomware demands Attack.Ransom presented practical and ethical dilemmas . “ These people are criminals , and paying money to a criminal is never a good idea . However , if it ’ s a trade-off between losing your lifetime ’ s family photos and making a payment Attack.Ransom to a criminal , then it ’ s up to the individual to make that judgment call . “ It would be very hard to walk away. ” But Gregory said it would be “ self-defeating ” for hackers not to release data upon receipt of a ransom Attack.Ransom , “ because that would immediately hit the media , and no one would pay ” . But not all ransomware attacks Attack.Ransom were motivated by financial gains , he added . “ If they ’ re a professional criminal organisation , their business model will be to release people ’ s computers once they ’ ve paid the money Attack.Ransom , but you don ’ t know . It could be someone having a laugh , or someone who ’ s trying to learn , or someone who ’ s released it accidentally . “ You just do not know – that ’ s the problem. ” With such attacks hitting computer systems at an “ ever-increasing rate ” , Gregory said prevention was the best course of action . With outdated operating systems “ easy targets ” , he urged individuals and businesses to automate updates and invest in software that protected against viruses , malware and ransomware across not only their computers , but tablets and mobile phones as well . “ It ’ s a combination of factors that will keep people safe ... For individuals , families have got to work together and companies have to take the time to ensure that their cybersecurity practices are up to date. ” Gregory recommended regular if not daily backups of personal data , which would allow victims to wipe the infected computer , reload their data , and start again .