Ransomware is in the air. Public offices have been hit. Data of patients in healthcare industry has been compromised. Financial institutions are in a conundrum. Cybercriminals are continuously looking to hit other segments and they have now found a victim – schools.
Details of the Ransomware Attack
Ransomware removal experts have found Middletown schools in Connecticut being hit by a ransomware attack. The schools are now trying to remove ransomware and resume the operations of their IT infrastructure. Middletown police is carrying out an investigation to find the attackers.
For those who do not know, ransomware is a type of malware that enters a computer system stealthily and locks files in a computer through cryptographic algorithms. A password is required to unlock these files and remove ransomware, which is held by the hackers. A ransom is required in exchange of the password. The ransom generally ranges from $300 to $1,500 or even more depending on the sensitivity of data in a user’s locked files.
According to Schools Superintendent Michael Conner, attackers’ demands have not been met and they have not been paid any money. Moreover, security experts are still analyzing and testing the systems to reach a conclusion about how the ransomware made its way into the systems and who was the culprit behind it.
Luckily, out of six of the district’s computer systems, two have started their operations, albeit with some limitations. According to Mr. Conner, their teams are working hard to ensure that the personal information of their students and staff does not fall into the wrong hands and are trying their best to restore all their computer systems.
Mr. Conner further refused to announce details related to the ransom demands as well as how the ransomware was identified by their experts. However, he did acknowledge the presence of back up that is helping them to recover their data. It remains to be seen if Middletown police manages to catch the culprits.
The attack on Middletown School reinforces the importance of backups. Therefore, you should always back up your crucial data on a separate device or on cloud storage.
