A municipality in Florida agreed to pay $ 600,000 to hackers who seized its computer system, in the latest in a series of similar attacks around the world to extort money from governments and businesses.
The city council of Riviera Beach approved this week unanimously to meet the financial demands of hackers after considering that the suburb of Palm Beach had no choice if they wanted to recover their files, which were encoded by the attackers. The council had already approved spending almost $ 1 million to buy new computers and other equipment after hackers captured the system three weeks ago.
Apparently, the hackers entered the municipal system when an employee tweeted a link in an email, which allowed them to install malware.
In addition to the encrypted files, the city had numerous problems, including the loss of its email system, payments to employees and vendors via check in lieu of direct deposits and the inability of 911 emergency phone system operators to place calls on computers. The city states that emergencies were addressed without delay.
Unlimited digital access: only 99 cents the first month
Receive full access to our content on all your devices
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Spokeswoman Rose Anne Brown said Wednesday that the city of 35,000 already works with external security advisors, who recommended paying the ransom. Brown acknowledged that there are no guarantees that the files will be released once the hackers receive the money. The payment is covered by insurance. Through its website, the FBI said it “does not support” the payment of rescues to hackers, but Riviera Beach is not the only case: Many government agencies and companies have given in to blackmail.
“We are trusting in his advice (from the advisors),” he said. The hackers demanded payment in bitcoin cryptocurrency. Although it is possible to track the bitcoins when they are spent, the owners of the accounts are not necessarily known, making this virtual currency the preferred mode of payment in cases of a cyber attack.
Numerous authorities and companies have been victims in the United States and in other parts of the world in recent years. Baltimore refused to pay $ 76,000 to hackers for an attack last month.
The federal government formally accused two Iranians last year of launching more than 200 cyber-attacks for ransom, including the cities of Atlanta and Newark, New Jersey. The suspects, who are not yet arrested, charged more than $ 6 million and caused 30 million damages to computer systems, according to federal prosecutors.
