The LockBit ransomware group is reportedly threating to release stolen SpaceX schematics unless Elon Musk pays to keep them under wraps.

Musk has until March 20 to make an extortion payment, according to a recent LockBit post shared on Twitter by cybersecurity analyst Dominic Alvieri. The confidential drawings were reportedly lifted not from SpaceX itself, but from a third-party vendor: Maximum Industries, which produces parts for SpaceX projects.

"Elon Musk we will help you sell your drawings to mother manufacturers — build the ship faster and fly away," the LockBit ransomware demand read.

“When people hear of extortion, their mind immediately goes to ransomware. However, ransomware is just one tool in an attackers arsenal," says Javvad Malik, lead awareness advocate at KnowBe4,. "The data is the actual gold dust that the criminals are after. If they can exfiltrate it, then they have immense leverage over the victim."

He adds, "This raises the important questions of how criminals get into organizations, how they spend so long undetected, and how can sensitive data be exfiltrated without being blocked. The answers to these extend beyond simply looking at point products, but is really about looking at the overall security culture in an organization and how it can be strengthened in a positive manner to reduce the overall risk.”

Ransomware accounted for about $34 million in adjusted losses reported to the FBI last year, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Report (PDF).