Ingram Micro, a leading U.S. technology distributor and managed services provider, has announced that an ongoing outage at the company is attributed to a ransomware attack. The hack began on Thursday, and since then, the company's website and much of its network have been inaccessible.

As one of the world's largest technology distributors, Ingram Micro ships tech and hardware to companies around the globe. It also provides managed services for its customers' clouds, acting as an outsourced IT department for smaller corporate customers. The company's outage is reportedly affecting software licensing, preventing Ingram Micro's customers from using or provisioning some products that rely on Ingram's systems.

No major ransomware group has taken credit for the breach yet, but Bleeping Computer reports that the hack was caused by the SafePay ransomware gang. It's not uncommon for ransomware gangs to name hacked companies and publish portions of stolen data in an effort to extort victims into paying ransoms.

Ingram Micro spokesperson Lisa Zwick did not immediately return a request for comment on the breach. The company has, however, alerted shareholders to the breach before markets opened in the United States. Ingram Micro is working to restore its systems and begin processing orders again, according to a brief statement issued late on Saturday.

The outage is having significant consequences for Ingram Micro's customers, who are unable to use or provision some products that rely on Ingram's systems. The company's managed services division has been particularly affected, with many businesses relying on Ingram as their outsourced IT department.

As the investigation into the breach continues, it remains unclear whether Ingram Micro will be able to restore its systems quickly enough to minimize the impact of the outage. The SafePay ransomware gang is known for its aggressive tactics, and the company may face significant pressure from hackers unless it pays a hefty ransom.

The Ingram Micro ransomware attack serves as a reminder of the growing threat posed by cybercriminals. As technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented rate, companies must prioritize their cybersecurity efforts to protect themselves against such attacks.