Quantum Systems drones back in the air after malware scare

Germany's Bundeswehr lifted precautionary grounding after malicious update reportedly reached military servers

Quantum Systems says its drones are flying again with Germany's military after a cyberattack prompted a precautionary grounding.

The company says it spotted the attack at the end of October and reported it to the relevant authorities, but disclosed few details about the intrusion.

"The threat was contained thanks to the swift response of our IT and security teams in close and transparent collaboration with the authorities," it said on Thursday.

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"Through the quick measures taken and the characteristics of the incident, there is no risk in operating Quantum Systems' unmanned systems for the end users and the operators."

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It added that other players in the European defense industry, and those who support Ukraine's military efforts, have faced "persistent cyberattacks for years."

The Bundeswehr grounded its Quantum Systems drones after malware was detected in an update to QBase, the company's QBase ground-control software, Der Spiegel reported, citing unnamed sources. QBase lets operators plan missions, monitor flights, and process data from the ground.

The malicious update reportedly reached servers belonging to the German military and other customers, but did not directly infect the drones.

"The fleet is operating normally around the globe – including Germany and the Bundeswehr," Quantum Systems told Reuters. "The Bundeswehr was the only customer to ground their systems as a precaution."

A spokesperson for Germany's defense ministry declined to comment on the attack or the reported details. The Register asked Quantum Systems for further details.

Founded in 2015, Quantum Systems has been providing drones to the Ukrainian war effort for years.

Last month, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced funding for "several tens of thousands" of the company's interceptor drones as part of Germany's winter aid package. The new drones will be built in Ukraine and support interceptor systems already in use on the front lines.

Quantum Systems announced a $1.2 billion Series D funding round in July, valuing the company at around $8 billion. ®