Unfortunately, this has become a reality for far too many state governments and municipalities. And it’s only getting worse.
It’s worth repeating: Ransomware attacks aren't just a bothersome IT problem. They're an existential threat to government operations, essential services for citizens, and even public trust.
So, now what? It's time to get a better grasp of how these attacks work, the damage they can do, and how you can shield your communities and the services people rely on.
Ransomware attacks typically start with cybercriminals sneaking into government networks—and they have plenty of ways to do it. They might send phishing emails with malicious links or attachments, exploit weaknesses in software, or gain unwanted access via stolen credentials. Once they’re in, they unleash the ransomware—a nasty type of malware that locks up files, making them inaccessible (and thus disabled) without a special decryption key held by the attackers.
After locking everything up, the cybercriminals demand a ransom, often in cryptocurrency, with the promise of providing the decryption key once payment is made. These demands can range from a few thousand to millions of dollars.
The fallout from ransomware attacks on state and local governments can be devastating. These attacks can halt government operations, disrupting vital services like healthcare, public safety, and administrative functions. For example, think about the chaos that would occur if a ransomware attack hit systems managing emergency services—response times could be severely delayed, which could actually put lives at risk.
Financially, the costs of ransom payments, recovery efforts, and potential fines for not complying with data protection regulations can be staggering. The end result? The same taxpayer money that should fund public services ends up being diverted to ransom payments or cybersecurity fixes.
Beyond the financial part, ransomware attacks damage public trust in government institutions. It’s more than understandable: Citizens (rightfully) rely on governments to protect their sensitive data, and breaches from these attacks can lead to identity theft, fraud, and other forms of exploitation.
The anger and loss of trust could have lasting effects, reducing citizen engagement, cooperation with government initiatives, and, yes, lawsuits.
Here are just a few of the many examples of several high-profile ransomware attacks that have targeted state and local governments across the U.S. in recent years:
As you can see, cybercriminals don’t care where you are. If your systems are vulnerable and not protected enough, they will exploit them. And while you can’t avoid being in the crosshairs of hackers, you can do something about protection.
There is no one magic bullet. Governments need to take several proactive steps to mitigate the ransomware threat and protect their critical infrastructure and citizen data. Here are the most important ones:
Here’s the hard truth: Public entities are now the frontline defenders against cyber threats targeting our critical infrastructure. Are you truly doing all you can to prevent these attacks?
Here’s another truth: Hackers are always evolving and will never stop targeting cities and states. You need to stay ahead of the game by prioritizing prevention, detection, and response, along with employee training that empowers staff to identify and stop attacks before they can even get off the ground.
Huntress Managed EDR streamlines your cybersecurity by using advanced threat detection and proactive 24/7 monitoring from our team of experts to spot and stop potential threats before they become bigger problems. As a more comprehensive and robust cybersecurity approach, we also provide Security Awareness Training that teaches employees to spot and handle online threats, fostering a true culture of security and helping thwart common hacker tactics like phishing and deceptive links and emails.
Curious about how Huntress can help safeguard your data and protect your community from cyberattacks? Request a free demo to see it in action.
Request a free demo to see how Huntress can protect your institution from the neverending threats of cybercriminals.
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