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Jackson County Pays $400K Ransomware Demand

Posted: March 13, 2019 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Ransomware, Data Breach, Malware

Jackson County, Georgia finds its coffers down by $400,000 this week thanks to cybercriminal ransom. A ransomware infection blocked access to the county IT systems for most of the local government with the exception of its website and 911 services. Though the county has hired a cyber-security consultant, they have yet to confirm how the breach happened. The consultant was able to negotiate with the ransomware operators for a decryption key, and the long arduous process of unlocking the ransomed files has begun. "We had to make a determination on whether to pay," Jackson County Manager Kevin Poe said. "We could have literally been down months and months and spent as much or more money trying to get our system rebuilt." Poe also identified the ransomware as “Ryuk”, a well-known undecryptable ransomware strain. Ryuk ransomware seizes networks and files following brute force RDP attacks or phishing infections with Emotet or Trickbot malware. The largest ransom ever paid was South Korean web hosting firm Internet Nayana, which paid 1.3 billion bitcoins to a hacker in 2017- the equivalent of $1.14 million. Contact Petronella Tech to ensure your security software is ready to block ransomware like Ryuk!

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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
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