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AECOM

Ransomware attack by Metaencryptor · Disclosed September 17, 2026 · 🇺🇸 United States

aecom.com

Date Disclosed
Sep 17, 2026
2026
Threat Group
Metaencryptor
30 total victims
Country
🇺🇸 United States
Industry
Professional Services

ThreatAI Analysis

Compiled from this incident record and the threat intelligence profile for Metaencryptor. Figures and technique mappings are quoted from the source data, not inferred.

Metaencryptor listed AECOM on its dark web leak site on 17 September 2026. AECOM is a U.S.-based global infrastructure company that provides design, engineering, construction management, and advisory services for major projects in transportation, water, energy, buildings, environmental services, and government markets worldwide.

About AECOM

AECOM is a leading U.S.-based global infrastructure consulting and engineering company. It provides design, engineering, construction management, and advisory services for major infrastructure projects across transportation, water, energy, buildings, environmental services, and government markets. AECOM operates worldwide and serves public- and private-sector clients.

Source record: ransomware.live

About the Metaencryptor group

MetaEncryptor is a ransomware group first observed in mid-2023, targeting medium-to-large enterprises in legal, technology, logistics, manufacturing, and finance sectors primarily in the UK, Europe, and Southeast Asia, using AES-256/RSA-2048 encryption and double extortion. Metaencryptor has listed 42 victims since August 2023.

Incident Analysis

AECOM was targeted by Metaencryptor ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 30 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on September 17, 2026, when AECOM appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

AECOM is based in United States , operating in the Professional Services sector. United States ranks #1 globally for ransomware attacks, with 9,519 victims in our database.

Sector context: Organisations in this sector hold valuable data and operational systems that ransomware groups seek to exploit for financial gain through encryption and data exfiltration.

Metaencryptor typically employs a double extortion model: first exfiltrating sensitive data from the victim's systems, then deploying ransomware to encrypt files. Victims face two simultaneous threats — paying to restore access and paying to prevent publication of stolen data. The group's leak site publishes victim names and exfiltrated data as leverage.

Data source: This incident record is sourced from public ransomware group leak site disclosures aggregated via the ransomware.live API. Disclosure date reflects when the victim was published on the leak site, which may differ from the initial date of compromise. This platform does not publish or link to stolen data. Last data update: Sep 17, 2026 20:00 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was AECOM attacked by ransomware?

Yes. AECOM was listed as a victim of the Metaencryptor ransomware group on September 17, 2026. The organisation is based in United States and operates in the Professional Services sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked AECOM?

AECOM was attacked by Metaencryptor ransomware. Metaencryptor is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 30 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the AECOM ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on AECOM was disclosed on September 17, 2026. This date reflects when the victim was published on the threat group's leak site, which may differ from the actual date of initial compromise.

What data was stolen in the AECOM ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from AECOM has not been independently verified by this platform. Ransomware groups typically exfiltrate data before encrypting systems and use the threat of publication to pressure victims. As a Professional Services organisation, AECOM likely held sensitive business data, client information, and operational records.

How can organisations protect against Metaencryptor attacks?

To defend against Metaencryptor and similar threat actors, organisations should: maintain regular offline backups tested for restoration; implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement; deploy multi-factor authentication on all remote access; use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools; conduct regular phishing and security awareness training; and monitor threat intelligence feeds for indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with active groups.