U.S. Air Force/Technical Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo
United State Cyber Command
- Ransomware attacks have become a worryingly common threat against public systems including schools and local governments as hackers hold critical data and services hostage for massive ransoms.
- Major cities like Baltimore and Atlanta have been crippled by such attacks in recent years, and officials have warned that attacks are a disturbing trend that governments must prepare for.
- Here are some cities that were crippled by ransomware attacks, and what their responses could mean for future stikes.
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As more of our everyday lives move online, the risks of hackers compromising personal information and shutting down necessary resources are only increasing.
There were at least 104 ransomware attacks against administrative systems in schools and governments over the course of 2019, according to cybersecurity company Recorded Future.
Ransomware attacks cripple a network's key services and functions as a hacker requests a massive ransom while holding government or school's data hostage.
On October 2, the FBI issued a high-impact cyber-attack warning in response to increasing attacks on state and local government targets, including that threats faced governments in addition to health care organizations, industrial companies, and transportation entities.
Here's how some cities handled the attacks, and what their responses could mean for future stikes.