Business operations disrupted at Western Digital following network security incident

Computer drive and data storage device manufacturer Western Digital is investigating a network security incident from last week that shut down parts of its business operations, including its MyCloud storage platform, leaving many users in the dark and questioning if their data is safe.

The data technology company put out an official statement Monday giving more details about the breach and the “early stages” of its investigation so far - but maybe not enough for the many Western Digital MyCloud storage users locked out of their accounts.

“On March 26, 2023, Western Digital identified a network security incident involving Western Digital’s systems. In connection with the ongoing incident, an unauthorized third party gained access to several of the Company’s systems,” the company said.

“The Company believes the unauthorized party obtained certain data from its systems and is working to understand the nature and scope of that data,” the statement reads.

Western Digital said it had taken some systems and services offline as a proactive measure.

Monday, multiple customers of Western Digital’s MyCloud storage services were reporting on social media that they haven't been able to log into their accounts, some for more than 24 hours.

The company warned that while its “actively working to restore impacted infrastructure and services,” there may be continued “disruption to parts of business operations.”

Western Digital said immediately upon discovery it implemented incident response efforts and are investigating with the help of outside security and forensic experts.

Based in San Jose California, Western Digital is known for designing, manufacturing, and selling data technology products.

It is the parent company of SanDisk Professional, known for its memory storage cards and readers, USB flash drives, and solid-state drives.

The publicly traded company also took note of shareholders, investors, and upcoming SEC filings in the announcement, noting that changes in scope could occur depending on the extent of the incident and what may be uncovered during the investigation.