independence.com.co Listed by lockbit3 Ransomware Group: Ransomware Claim — What’s Alleged & What To Do

When a ransomware group lists an organisation on its leak site, the immediate concern for ordinary people is simple: whether personal or work-related information tied to that organisation has been taken and what that could mean in daily life. On 14 September 2022, independence.com.co appeared on a lockbit3 leak site. The group claims to have stolen internal data. How many people may be affected remains unknown, and public detail about the precise contents is limited.

For anyone who has dealt with the organisation—customers, staff, partners or others—the listing raises practical questions about exposure, misuse of files, and the steps worth taking while fuller information is still unavailable.

Breaking down the breach

According to the available record, independence.com.co was listed on the lockbit3 ransomware leak site on or around 14 September 2022. The group claims to have exfiltrated internal files in a ransomware attack. No confirmed figure for the number of people affected has been published. The method of initial access, the exact timing of any intrusion, the volume of data taken, and whether any ransom demand was paid or files were later released are all undisclosed in the public summary.

What is stated is limited to the listing itself and the claim of stolen internal data. No independent confirmation of the theft or of any subsequent publication of the files is included in the facts at hand. Readers should therefore treat the lockbit3 listing as an unverified claim by the group unless and until further evidence appears.

Inside lockbit3

Lockbit3 is a well-documented ransomware operation that has appeared repeatedly in public reporting since earlier versions of the LockBit family. Like many contemporary ransomware groups, it has operated on a ransomware-as-a-service model, in which affiliates carry out intrusions and the core operation supplies the encryptor, infrastructure and leak site. A common pattern associated with the group is double extortion: data is copied before systems are encrypted, and the threat of publishing the stolen material is used to pressure the victim.

Lockbit3 and its predecessors have been linked to numerous listings across many sectors and countries. Public accounts describe the use of leak sites to name victims and, in some cases, to stage sample files or larger archives. None of that general background states the specific claims made about independence.com.co. For this incident, the only attribution in the record is the group’s own listing and its claim that internal data was stolen.

Who is independence.com.co?

independence.com.co is the organisation named in the listing. Public detail about its exact legal structure, size and day-to-day operations is limited in the breach record. The domain indicates a presence associated with Colombia. Organisations operating under commercial or service-oriented domains of this kind commonly hold internal business records, correspondence, operational documents and, depending on their activities, information about customers, employees or partners.

A breach claim against such an organisation matters because internal files can contain material that is sensitive even when it is not classic “consumer” data: contracts, credentials, internal communications, financial or operational details, and any personal data collected in the course of ordinary work. Without fuller disclosure from the organisation or independent verification, the precise nature of independence.com.co’s holdings and the scope of any impact remain unconfirmed.

The information in question

The facts state that internal files were claimed to have been exfiltrated in a ransomware attack. No further breakdown of data types—such as names, contact details, identity documents, financial records or health information—is provided. The number of people potentially affected is unknown.

Organisations of this general type typically maintain internal documents, email and messaging archives, administrative records and systems data. Some of that material may include personal information about staff, clients or third parties. Because the exact contents have not been disclosed in the public record, it is not possible to state what was or was not taken. The lockbit3 claim should be read as an assertion by the group, not as a verified inventory of exposed data.

What's at stake

When internal files are alleged to have left an organisation’s control, the risks are concrete even if the full picture is incomplete. For individuals, possible consequences include unwanted contact, attempts at fraud or social engineering that reference real internal details, and longer-term uncertainty about whether personal data sits in criminal hands. For the organisation, stakes include operational disruption, legal and regulatory obligations that may apply under local law, reputational harm, and the cost of investigation and remediation.

In practical terms, the following points matter most while details remain limited:

• The number of people affected is unknown, so no one can yet rule themselves in or out solely from public reporting.
• Only “internal files” are named; specific categories of personal data are unconfirmed.
• The lockbit3 listing is a claim by the group, not an independently verified disclosure.
• Timing, intrusion method and any later publication of files are undisclosed in the available facts.
• Anyone who has shared information with the organisation has a reasonable basis to monitor for unusual activity and to tighten account security.

Were you affected?

If you have had dealings with independence.com.co—as a customer, employee, contractor or partner—treat the September 2022 listing as a signal to take basic precautions rather than as proof that your own data was taken. Change passwords on related accounts if you reuse them elsewhere, enable multi-factor authentication where available, and watch for phishing or unexpected requests that appear to reference the organisation. Keep an eye on financial and email accounts for activity you do not recognise.

Public detail on this incident remains thin. For a practical next step, readers can run a free exposure scan of their email address to check whether their information has already surfaced in known breach data sets. That check does not confirm involvement in this specific event, but it can show whether the same address appears in other documented leaks and help prioritise further monitoring.

AICompiled with AI assistance from public sources and published under our editorial standards.