Security News
The 11 Biggest Ransomware Attacks Of 2020 (So Far)
Michael Novinson
Municipal governments, universities and private businesses have spent more than $144 million responding to the biggest ransomware attacks of 2020 (so far), spending on everything from rebuilding networks and restoring backups to paying the hackers ransom.
7. La Salle County, Ill.
Recovery And Mitigation Costs: $500,000
A Feb. 23 ransomware attack infected La Salle County’s governmental offices, taking down email accounts, limiting access to documents and causing many county services to be provided “the old-fashioned way” with paper, according to The Times (Ill.). Most of the data had already been backed up, and a vendor was on-site three days later to restore the system, WLPO radio reported.
The county declined to pay the ransom, and IT Director John Haag said in June that the total cost of the ransomware attack could be about $500,000 when all is said and done. The investigation alone cost more than $100,000, and the county spent $66,250.76 on new equipment, according to Haag.
La Salle County will be able to pay just a $5,000 deductible to its insurance company to cover all the costs, including hundreds of hours of overtime put in by its IT staff, The Times reported. But Haag said some of the tools bought to remedy the attack may not be reimbursed since insurance typically only covers what’s been lost.
