Ransomware makes two cities declare emergency

In recent news, the impact of ransomware attacks has become so severe that two cities have declared local emergencies due to the devastating effect on their government’s IT infrastructure. Langlade County in Wisconsin suffered from a LockBit ransomware attack, resulting in catastrophic software failures and the disruption of emergency services such as 911. The city of Hayward in California also fell victim to a ransomware gang, leading to an official state of emergency.

Despite these challenges, both cities have shown resilience by refusing to yield to the hackers’ demands. Langlade County has a robust backup plan in place and is confident in its ability to recover. They are also consulting with third-party forensic experts to determine the best course of action against the cybercriminals using double extortion tactics. Hayward City Council has already restored public safety services and aims to regain full operational capacity.

The LockBit ransomware group, responsible for over 1,670 attacks and earning approximately $92 million, is suspected to be behind these recent incidents. They have targeted both large cities and smaller towns across the United States, infiltrating the IT infrastructure of 47 local governments. These incidents highlight the escalating threat posed by ransomware attacks and emphasize the need for increased vigilance and robust cybersecurity measures to protect critical systems and the public’s interests.

Key points:
1.