San Bernardino County pays hackers $1.1 million ransom after cyber attack
A hacker who in April caused a “network disruption” of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s computer system was paid a $1.1 million ransom to let county officials back into the network.
The ransom was announced on Friday by county officials, who stated that the hacker uploaded ransomware to infiltrate the sheriff’s department’s information technology system. The disruption included sheriff’s officials being unable to access a system that provides information on whether a person is wanted for crimes elsewhere in the county, Sheriff Shannon Dicus said.
Department officials became aware of the incident on April 7, according to county officials, who said they immediately secured the network and were working with its information technology staff and third-party forensic specialists to investigate.
After the disruption, county officials referred the incident to partnering law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
A ransomware attack occurs when a hacker gains access to a system, usually through malicious software, according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The attacker then encrypts the server’s data and makes demands in return for its decryption.
During the April disruption, whether the incident involved, a cyberattack or other threat against the sheriff’s department was unknown.
County officials did not say when the $1.1 million was paid to the hackers, how long the system was inaccessible to the department, or why officials waited until now to inform the public about the ransom payment.
The Daily Press submitted several questions to county officials, such as whether the paid ransom had assurances that there would be no additional attacks or how the ransom was paid.
County spokesman David Wert on Friday told the Daily Press that further information on the cyberattack could not be disclosed at this time in light of the ongoing criminal investigation.
Why was a ransom paid?
After “careful consideration,” county officials opted to pay the $1.1 million ransom to the…
