Peru’s Government Denies Major Ransomware Breach as Rhysida Gang Claims Attack Peru’s government has refuted claims by the Rhysida ransomware gang that it compromised the country’s federal digital platform, gob.pe. In a statement released on Thursday, the Ministry of Government and Digital Transformation acknowledged an attack on the tax administration website of the regional capital, Piura, but insisted the national portal remained secure. The Rhysida gang, known for targeting governments worldwide, posted on its leak site demanding a 5 bitcoin ransom (approximately $472,000) and shared documents allegedly stolen from Peru’s systems. The group has previously breached governments in Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, the U.S., and Portugal, as well as local entities, including disruptive attacks on Columbus and Seattle. Peruvian authorities confirmed that the National Digital Security Department (CNSD) activated preventive measures upon detecting the incident. Meanwhile, Piura’s Tax Administration Service admitted to a cyberattack on March 29, which disrupted operations for 48 hours before services were restored. Officials denied any data theft but reported the incident to local prosecutors. Federal authorities emphasized the need for all cyber incidents to be reported to the CNSD and urged the public to rely only on verified government sources to avoid misinformation. The incident follows heightened cybersecurity concerns in Peru after a major bank breach in October exposed data from up to 3 million customers. Rhysida has gained notoriety for its aggressive tactics, targeting critical sectors such as healthcare, charities, and public institutions. The group’s latest claims against Peru remain under investigation.