Everest Ransomware Group Claims Breach of McDonald’s India, Allegedly Stealing 861GB of Sensitive Data The Everest ransomware group has claimed responsibility for a breach of McDonald’s India, the fast-food giant’s Indian subsidiary, allegedly exfiltrating 861 GB of customer data and internal documents. The claim, posted on the group’s dark web leak site on January 20, 2026, includes screenshots purportedly showing financial reports (2023–2026), audit trails, ERP migration files, pricing data, and confidential internal communications. Among the leaked materials are structured directories with month-by-month accounting records, a folder labeled "Investor Info" containing board-level documents, and a "Contact Database" with details of investors and business partners including names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails across the US, UK, Singapore, and India. Additional screenshots reveal store-level data, such as manager names, company email addresses (under mcdonaldsindia.com), and direct contact numbers for multiple outlet locations. Everest has set a two-day deadline for McDonald’s India to respond, though the company has yet to issue an official statement. The claims remain unverified pending confirmation from McDonald’s or further evidence. The group, one of the most active ransomware operators in 2025, has maintained its aggressive campaign into 2026, targeting high-profile organizations including Nissan, ASUS, Chrysler, Iberia Airlines, Under Armour, Petrobras, AT&T, and Dublin Airport. Investigations into the alleged McDonald’s India breach are ongoing.

Everest Ransomware Group Claims Massive Data Breach at McDonald’s India The Everest ransomware group has alleged a major cyberattack on McDonald’s India, claiming to have exfiltrated 861 GB of sensitive data, including internal documents and customer personal information. The threat actors posted details of the breach on their dark web leak site on January 20, 2026, warning that the stolen data would be publicly released if McDonald’s fails to respond by a specified deadline. According to Everest, the compromised data includes a wide range of personal and corporate records, posing risks of identity theft and targeted phishing attacks. The group, a Russian-speaking operation active since December 2020, specializes in "pure extortion" stealing and selling data rather than solely encrypting files. Known for high-profile attacks, Everest’s recent victims include ASUS, Nissan Motor Corporation (900 GB stolen in January 2026), and Dublin Airport (1.5 million passenger records breached in October 2025). McDonald’s India, which operates through Connaught Plaza Restaurants (North/East India) and Hardcastle Restaurants (West/South India), has not yet confirmed the breach. The incident adds to the company’s history of cybersecurity challenges in the region, following previous data security issues in 2017 and 2024. The full scope and impact of the breach remain under investigation.