Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware in which hackers access files and encrypt them, demanding payment to restore access. Coverage includes ransomware attacks on cities, states, schools and public utilities, as well as legislative efforts to curb the threat and set policy on how to respond.
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A school district in Pennsylvania canceled classes Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week while it investigates and isolates a ransomware virus, which did not appear to have come from a local source.
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The Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority has said it found an intrusion Nov. 21 and “immediately activated” defensive controls. The organization was able to interrupt the incursion underway.
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Public- and private-sector security leaders examined trends in cyber threats at the recent California Cybersecurity Education Summit. During an attack, one said, responding quickly is still very important.
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City officials announced that a ransomware attack had breached the timekeeping vendor the Ultimate Kronos Group over the weekend. The company says it may take several weeks for services to come back online.
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Several of the systems used by state lawmakers have been taken offline following a cyber attack against the Division of Legislative Automated Systems. The attack comes just a month before the next legislative session.
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A ransomware attack on payroll service vendor the Ultimate Kronos Group may have compromised data for employees of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services and the city's Board of Water Supply.
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The city took its systems offline — including bill payment services — after identifying an external threat Friday. Emergency services and police and fire response were not affected by the outage.
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s revised framework expands its focus to operational technologies, urging organizations to better ensure mission-critical systems can withstand cyber disruptions.
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Indiana’s 2021 cybersecurity strategy aims to provide a variety of practical tools and education supports. Cybersecurity program director Chetrice Mosley-Romero says it puts a particular focus on helping local government.
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For thousands of students and employees of Broward County Public Schools in Florida whose personal data was exposed by a cyber attack, experts recommend new passwords, credit monitoring and identity theft protection.
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A federal hearing discussed new cyber incident reporting requirements for rail operators, put focus on needs to shore up Department of Transportation system defenses and questioned the state of FAA cybersecurity.
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Ransomware incidents at other Pennsylvania schools prompted Hempfield Area School District to pay for an audit and vulnerability assessment of its infrastructure, set to begin when students leave for the holidays.
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After initially saying it was unaware of personal information being exposed by a ransomware attack months ago, the district is now sending written notifications that names and social security numbers were exposed.
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The editorial board of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review commends the college for being open with the public about a recent ransomware attack and shutting down classes Monday and Tuesday to be safe.
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The Illinois school's computer network, including phones, email and applications, went down early this morning due to a ransomware attack, prompting administrators to close campus for the day.
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The Coalition of City CISOs aims to fill a professional networking gap by helping CISOs of cities and counties share advice and threat intelligence, and presents the local perspective to federal partners and policymakers.
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Most states don't mandate that their agencies report any cyber incidents that occur. However, a new legislative trend shows that state lawmakers are gradually recognizing the importance of incident reporting.
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National Cyber Director Chris Inglis and representatives of CISA and the FBI Cyber Division discussed state and local cybersecurity supports, incident reporting law and larger anti-ransomware strategies in a House hearing.
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After an April ransomware attack downed systems for two weeks, Gary, Ind., officials are hoping a new cybersecurity contract will help fend off threats and reduce the chances of a repeat incident.
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The United States and European allies recently made multiple arrests for cyber crimes committed by the international ransomware group called REvil. Whether the arrests will make a real impact remains to be seen.
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A report by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson's office says 6.3 million notices of data breaches have been delivered to state residents in 2021. This number eclipses the previous record of 3.5 million in 2018.