Open source tool maker Grafana Labs says hackers stole its code, refuses to pay ransom

Grafana Labs said hackers gained access to its GitHub environment through a stolen token credential. The token did not allow access to customer records or financial data, the company said. Grafana Labs has invalidated the token and implemented additional security measures. The company said the attacker attempted to blackmail it by demanding payment to prevent release of the codebase. Grafana Labs refused to pay. Its code is open source and public. It is unclear if the hackers stole any proprietary code or information. A spokesperson for the company did not immediately return a request for comment. The incident contrasts with a recent hack at education tech giant Instructure. Instructure reached an agreement to pay hackers who compromised its network twice in recent weeks. The hackers demanded an unspecified ransom and threatened to release stolen data about staff and students. Grafana Labs cited the FBI advice urging victims not to pay hackers. Cooperating with them does not guarantee they will return stolen data or refrain from publishing it later. Critics also say paying cybercriminals helps to fund future cyberattacks. Grafana Labs said its investigation is ongoing and will share its findings once the probe concludes.