Pickett and Associates, LLC (Pickett USA), a reputable engineering firm based in Tampa, Florida, has allegedly been compromised, resulting in the exposure of sensitive infrastructure data. Specializing in transmission and distribution power line design, aerial surveying, and LiDAR data collection, the firm serves major U.S. utilities. The compromised dataset, totaling approximately 139 GB, is currently listed for sale on a cybercrime forum for 6.5 Bitcoin. The data dump reportedly impacts several of the firm’s major clients, including Tampa Electric Company (TECO), Duke Energy Florida (DEF), and American Electric Power (AEP).
According to the claims accompanying the data sale, the files contain real, operational engineering data suitable for infrastructure analysis and risk assessment. The allegedly compromised data includes:
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Over 800 classified raw LiDAR point cloud files in .las format.
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Full coverage of transmission line corridors and substations (including layers for bare earth, vegetation, conductors, and structures).
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High-resolution orthophotos in .ecw format.
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MicroStation design files (.dgn) and PTC settings.
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Large vegetation feature files in .xyz format.
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Preserved folder structures from active projects.
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