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In May, 230 city structures were affected by the ransomware virus. Experts sum up the results.
In May, the city of Dallas in Texas was subjected to a large-scale cyber attack that paralyzed the work of critical city services. According to a recent report, hackers began spying on targeted networks several weeks before the attack.
Experts believe that Dallas was targeted because of its status as the ninth largest city in the United States. The victims were the city police, fire services, medical institutions and authorities.
According to the report, key government systems were hacked as early as April 7. Attackers used the credentials of a technical support employee to gain access to the city's infrastructure and set up remote management. Until May 2, they managed to extract about 1.17 terabytes of information.
The ransomware attack began at 2 a.m. on May 3. Using previously installed malware, hackers encrypted the target servers using legitimate Microsoft tools. By morning, 230 organizations were hit.
Dallas authorities responded quickly. As early as 8:30 a.m., a cyber incident response plan was put in place. The priority was to restore the operation of the emergency control room. For several days, due to a malfunction, police and ambulance crews went to the wrong addresses, and this posed a threat to the lives and health of citizens.
The scale of Dallas infrastructure is impressive — the city operates more than 860 different applications and databases. The Department of Information Technology employs about 200 specialists. However, even such a large IT service could not provide the necessary level of protection.
In the first days after the incident, Dallas specialists worked around the clock. Within 18 days, more than 90% of blocked portals and websites were launched. The restoration cost the city $8.5 million.
More than 100 servers were finally decommissioned, as they were outdated and did not support the new operating systems. Because of the attack, the software had to be reinstalled on 1,396 computers.
Experts believe that the Royal group, formerly known as Conti, is involved in the case. Her methods indicate high professionalism and extensive experience.
This year, Dallas cybersecurity spending increased from 2.5% to 10% of the total IT budget – a total of $ 7.8 million.
In the report, analysts recommend that government agencies upgrade outdated software and equipment, as well as increase the budget for protection against cyber threats. It is also noted that, despite the problems, the city administration responded to the incident quite adequately and promptly.
In May, the city of Dallas in Texas was subjected to a large-scale cyber attack that paralyzed the work of critical city services. According to a recent report, hackers began spying on targeted networks several weeks before the attack.
Experts believe that Dallas was targeted because of its status as the ninth largest city in the United States. The victims were the city police, fire services, medical institutions and authorities.
According to the report, key government systems were hacked as early as April 7. Attackers used the credentials of a technical support employee to gain access to the city's infrastructure and set up remote management. Until May 2, they managed to extract about 1.17 terabytes of information.
The ransomware attack began at 2 a.m. on May 3. Using previously installed malware, hackers encrypted the target servers using legitimate Microsoft tools. By morning, 230 organizations were hit.
Dallas authorities responded quickly. As early as 8:30 a.m., a cyber incident response plan was put in place. The priority was to restore the operation of the emergency control room. For several days, due to a malfunction, police and ambulance crews went to the wrong addresses, and this posed a threat to the lives and health of citizens.
The scale of Dallas infrastructure is impressive — the city operates more than 860 different applications and databases. The Department of Information Technology employs about 200 specialists. However, even such a large IT service could not provide the necessary level of protection.
In the first days after the incident, Dallas specialists worked around the clock. Within 18 days, more than 90% of blocked portals and websites were launched. The restoration cost the city $8.5 million.
More than 100 servers were finally decommissioned, as they were outdated and did not support the new operating systems. Because of the attack, the software had to be reinstalled on 1,396 computers.
Experts believe that the Royal group, formerly known as Conti, is involved in the case. Her methods indicate high professionalism and extensive experience.
This year, Dallas cybersecurity spending increased from 2.5% to 10% of the total IT budget – a total of $ 7.8 million.
In the report, analysts recommend that government agencies upgrade outdated software and equipment, as well as increase the budget for protection against cyber threats. It is also noted that, despite the problems, the city administration responded to the incident quite adequately and promptly.
