School District Paid Over $38K to End Ransomware Attack

[Destry Winant <destry () riskbasedsecurity com>]

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/pennsylvania/articles/2019-10-01/school-district-paid-over-38k-to-end-ransomware-attack

EXETER, PA. (AP) — A school district in northeastern Pennsylvania sent
payments of over $38,000 to a hacker who had encrypted and locked the
district's computer data over the summer.

The technology director for The Wyoming Area School District tells the
Citizens' Voice newspaper the recovery effort will only cost the
district $10,000 because an insurer will cover all other costs.

The FBI encourages victims to resist paying hacker's extortion demands
for the key to unlock files.

Jones says the district followed advice from consultants and a legal
coach working for their insurance company after he discovered the
ransomware attack July 18.

He says the district received codes from the hacker and then began
unlocking and recovering most of its data in early August. It's still
recovering some data.
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