Baltimore Shuts Down Its Servers As the City Is Hit By Ransomware
Baltimore was hit by a Ransomware attack on Tuesday, the officials have closed most city servers, said Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young.
Young said that crucial function like; police, fire department, EMS and 311 services – were still operating and employees are working to determine the source of cyber-attacks.
“At the moment, we have not seen any evidence that personal data has left the system,” tweeted Young, adding that the city closed most of its servers to be cautious.
The attack marked the second time in more than a year that the city had been targeted with malicious software, according to The Baltimore Sun. The ransomware attack affected the city’s 911 system last fall.
The city Public Works Department tweeted early Tuesday that email services dropped and later said it was delaying the cost of water bills due to network problems.
Some City Hall workers were asked to turn off their computers and pull out Ethernet cables, City Council Member Ryan Dorsey told the media.
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that, after infecting a computer, will deny access to a computer system until the ransom is paid. Usually spread through phishing emails or by visiting infected websites.
A city spokesman talking to the media said that the attack was similar to that which infected the city of Greenville, North Carolina, last month. The attack involved malware dubbed RobbinHood, which is little known.
The attack on Greenville destroyed many of the city’s cyber services for about two weeks, but officials could resolve the issue without having to pay a ransom, according to reports. The FBI is investigating.
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