TL;DR
A threat actor says it breached Florida engineering firm Pickett USA and is offering roughly 139 GB of operational engineering data tied to Tampa Electric, Duke Energy Florida, and American Electric Power for 6.5 BTC (about $585,000). Pickett provided no comment and the utilities did not respond when contacted.
What happened
A person operating on the criminal market posted screenshots and a listing — also shared on the Daily Dark Web — saying they had stolen 892 files from Pickett and Associates (Pickett USA), a Tampa-based engineering firm that provides transmission and distribution design, LiDAR, aerial mapping and related services. The seller describes the haul as roughly 139 GB of engineering data and is asking 6.5 bitcoin, which the report converts to about $585,000. The listing allegedly includes more than 800 raw LiDAR point-cloud files in .las format, high-resolution orthophotos (.ecw), MicroStation design files and PTC settings, vegetation feature files (.xyz), and full coverage of transmission corridors and substations with layers for bare earth, vegetation, conductors and structures. The criminal offered four sample files as proof. Pickett USA did not comment on the alleged breach, and the named utilities did not respond to requests for comment.
Why it matters
- Detailed engineering and mapping files could reveal layout and characteristics of transmission lines and substations, raising potential safety and security concerns for infrastructure.
- Files that describe vegetation and corridor coverage may expose vulnerabilities that could be used for operational disruption or targeted attacks.
- The incident fits a broader trend of threat actors targeting critical infrastructure and operational technology operated by utilities.
- Financially motivated criminals and state-backed groups have both targeted energy providers, increasing the stakes for breach disclosures and incident response.
Key facts
- Seller claims to be offering about 139 GB of engineering data for 6.5 bitcoin (about $585,000).
- Listing reportedly contains 892 files, including over 800 raw LiDAR point-cloud files in .las format ranging from 100 MB to 2 GB each.
- Alleged dataset includes orthophotos (.ecw), MicroStation design files and PTC settings, and vegetation feature files (.xyz).
- The posting names Pickett and Associates (Pickett USA), a Tampa-based engineering firm that provides transmission/distribution design, surveying, aerial mapping and LiDAR services.
- The listings name three U.S. utilities: Tampa Electric Company, Duke Energy Florida, and American Electric Power.
- The report cites customer figures: Tampa Electric serves about 860,000 customers (including 90,000 businesses); Duke Energy Florida serves about 2 million customers; American Electric Power serves nearly 5.6 million customers across 11 states.
- The criminal offered four sample files to prospective buyers as proof, according to the post.
- Pickett USA declined to comment on the alleged breach when contacted; the named utilities did not respond to requests for comment.
What to watch next
- Whether Pickett USA confirms a breach and releases details on scope and affected projects (not confirmed in the source).
- If the named utilities acknowledge exposure, identify affected assets, or report any operational impacts (not confirmed in the source).
- Whether law enforcement or incident response teams publicly intervene or validate the authenticity of the data (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- LiDAR: A remote sensing method that uses lasers to measure distances and generate precise, three-dimensional information about the shape of the Earth and its surface characteristics.
- Orthophoto: An aerial image that has been geometrically corrected (orthorectified) so the scale is uniform and it can be used like a map for accurate measurements.
- MicroStation: A computer-aided design (CAD) software platform commonly used for engineering, surveying and infrastructure design files.
- Point cloud: A dataset composed of many individual X, Y, Z coordinates that represent the external surface of objects, often produced by LiDAR sensors.
- Operational Technology (OT): Hardware and software that monitors and controls physical processes, devices and infrastructure, often used in industrial and utility environments.
Reader FAQ
Has Pickett USA confirmed the breach?
Pickett USA declined to comment on the alleged breach, according to the source.
Have the utilities named confirmed that their data was exposed?
None of the three energy companies responded to requests for comment in the report.
Is the stolen data authenticated?
The seller offered four sample files as proof, but independent verification of the data's authenticity was not provided in the source.
How much is 6.5 bitcoin worth in the report?
The story states 6.5 bitcoin amounts to about $585,000.
CYBER-CRIME Cybercrook claims to be selling infrastructure info about three major US utilities For the bargain price of 6.5 bitcoin Jessica Lyons Fri 2 Jan 2026 // 18:34 UTC A cybercrook claims to have…
Sources
- Cybercrook claims to be selling infrastructure info about three major US utilities
- Cybercrook claims to sell critical info about utilities
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