Baltimore Gets Hacked: Main Computer Systems Crippled, Experts Estimate Months to Recover

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Baltimore Gets Hacked: Main Computer Systems Crippled, Experts Estimate Months to Recover

By CircleID Reporter
May 23, 2019, 2:33 am PDT Views: 11,158 Add Comment

Director of the Mayor’s Office of Information Technology, Frank Johnson, gives an update on the ransomware attack that took control of the city’s computer system the day prior.

On May 7, hackers breached parts of the computer systems that run Baltimore’s government, taking down essential systems such as voice mail, email, a parking fines database, payment systems used for water bills, property taxes, real estate transactions and vehicle citations. The ransom demanded by hackers is about $100,000 worth of bitcoin. As of today, over two weeks from the breach, Baltimore City Mayor Jack Young said the city won’t pay. Experts estimate months for the city to recover. The authorities have identified the malware behind the attack as “RobbinHood,” a relatively new ransomware variant, according to a May 7 report from The Baltimore Sun. There have been more than 20 cyberattacks against municipalities in 2019 alone, according to NPR.

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