In late January the St Louis library system fell under attack. The libraries were brought to a complete stand still while borrowers were unable to return, borrow, or use the computers at any of the 16 branches. Their system had been hacked and infected with ransomware with the hackers demanding a ransom of $35,000 in the form of bitcoin. Approximately 700 computers were infected across the 16 public libraries in the system.
The library authority refused to pay and as a result will wipe its entire computer system and rebuild it, which will take a quite some time to accomplish. During this time the libraries will remain open, but computers will be off limits. An attack like this takes a toll on more than just the library system, but also those who rely on the library system for school as well as those who need the library for internet access.
As we have discussed before ransomware has become an extremely popular method of hacking. Could you even imagine having to wipe your computer system and having to start from scratch? It could end a business. The way most occurrences take place is through clicking a link in an email that downloads the virus onto the computer system. Remember to always be cautious and only open emails from reputable sources.
If you have any questions about keeping your network secure let us know!
