Ransomware hackers target another Florida city where officials agree to pay

Mackenzie Garrity -

Lake City, Fla., officials agreed to pay cybercriminals $426,000 on June 24 after a ransomware attack locked them out of systems, according to The Wall Street Journal.

This is the second week in a row that a Florida city has been hit with a ransomware attack. One of the reasons for this could be that city officials keep agreeing to pay the ransom, reports WSJ.

Last week officials in Riviera Beach, Fla., agreed to pay $600,000 to unlock their systems.

Six-figure ransomware demands have become common. Hackers are finding vulnerabilities in outdated systems, often through phishing attacks.

The FBI recommends officials not pay the ransom, noting there is no guarantee that the data will be released or that the system will not be a target in the future. Additionally, the FBI says paying a hacker only encourages more cyberattacks.

Not all cities choose to pay hackers. Baltimore city officials declined to pay a $76,000 demand in May. However, city officials say the attack will cost at least $18 million, which includes IT costs and lost revenue.

More articles about cybersecurity:
UMass Memorial Health Care alerts 4,600 patients of phishing attack
Cybersecurity issue and trends on the horizon: 3 Qs with Edward Elmhurst Healthcare CISO Don Fosen
Don’t overlook cybersecurity training — Why Lake Chelan Community Hospital CIO created his own cyber program

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