Garmin Smartwatch Users Can Not Get Hands On Data
24 July 2020
ShareSave
Garmin, which makes GPS-enabled fitness trackers and navigational software application, is suffering what it has referred to as an "blackout".
According to ZDNet, staff members have declared on social media that the company is the victim of a ransomware attack, however this has not been validated.
Garmin Aviation said its flyGarmin website and mobile app, used by pilots, were also not available.
The business's production line in Taiwan is also thought to have been impacted.
The problems mean that consumers are not presently able to log into Garmin Connect to tape-record and their health and fitness information.
And pilots who utilize flyGarmin can not currently download updated air travel databases, which is a legal requirement.
Ransomware is a kind of malware. It lets hackers take control of a company's systems and secure their data, requiring payment to launch it. It is frequently sent out via a harmful email link to employees.
Garmin has not formally validated the cause of its problems.
In a statement it said: "We are currently experiencing an interruption that impacts Garmin.com and Garmin Connect. This blackout also affects our call centres and we are presently not able to get any calls, e-mails or online chats. Garmin are working to fix this problem as quickly as possible and apologise for the inconvenience."
Experts state it looks like a significant problem for the firm.
"Garmin's infrastructure has suffered a massive failure, and although the company has not officially validated it, the finger of suspicion points highly in the instructions of a ransomware attack," wrote security consultant Graham Cluley.
"The danger isn't just that physical fitness enthusiasts might not be able to record how numerous miles they jogged today. Garmin also supplies services for aviators and sailors, indicating they might not be able to utilize their relied on apps for weather forecast or filing flight strategies."
Mr Cluley included that fitness tracker data could be a "bonanza" as it would reveal a user's whole area history.