Delaware public libraries were powerless against the onslaught of hackers.
The well-known hacker group RansomHub recently carried out a successful cyberattack on a network of public libraries in Delaware, demanding a ransom of $1 million.
Computer labs have been closed across the state, and a number of libraries are warning visitors of possible interruptions in access to the Internet, telephones and other services. For example, the Georgetown City Library asked its visitors to call before visiting, as there were no print, Internet and computer facilities.
Rehoboth Beach Public Library and other affiliates noted that their phone lines were completely out of service, and scans and faxes were also impossible. On the official website of the organization, the problems are designated as "prolonged failures in the system and the Internet." However, as confirmed by a spokesperson for Rehoboth Beach Public Library, a ransomware virus was the cause.
"We are talking about a cyberattack on one of the virtual servers. Because of this, the state's libraries had problems with the Internet connection. Now an active investigation of the incident is underway, and temporary measures are being taken to restore traditional library services," the library representative explained.
Hackers from RansomHub claim to have been able to access the library's data and published some of the financial documents of previous years online. A screenshot of a folder containing more than 80 thousand files with a volume of 56 GB was created on September 20 - just a day before the confirmation of the problem of the IT infrastructure.
So far, RansomHub representatives have not reported the theft of other confidential or personal information, which may indicate limited access to library system data. This was confirmed by the state's chief librarian, Annie Norman, who said that the library catalog, which contains reader data, was not affected during the attack.
Despite this, the public catalog remains operational on the site, and digital services such as magazine subscriptions and audiobooks continue to function. The state decided to restore the systems on its own, abandoning the ransom demand, which is in line with the recommendations of federal agencies such as CISA.
Many Internet users wonder why attackers decided to blackmail the state system in the first place, because such people usually experience a shortage of funding. It is likely that the hackers simply decided to go through simple targets.
Now the Delaware library network is actively cooperating with the state Department of Technology and Information, as well as with Microsoft. However, it can take weeks or even months to fully eliminate the consequences of an incident.
Source
The well-known hacker group RansomHub recently carried out a successful cyberattack on a network of public libraries in Delaware, demanding a ransom of $1 million.
Computer labs have been closed across the state, and a number of libraries are warning visitors of possible interruptions in access to the Internet, telephones and other services. For example, the Georgetown City Library asked its visitors to call before visiting, as there were no print, Internet and computer facilities.
Rehoboth Beach Public Library and other affiliates noted that their phone lines were completely out of service, and scans and faxes were also impossible. On the official website of the organization, the problems are designated as "prolonged failures in the system and the Internet." However, as confirmed by a spokesperson for Rehoboth Beach Public Library, a ransomware virus was the cause.
"We are talking about a cyberattack on one of the virtual servers. Because of this, the state's libraries had problems with the Internet connection. Now an active investigation of the incident is underway, and temporary measures are being taken to restore traditional library services," the library representative explained.
Hackers from RansomHub claim to have been able to access the library's data and published some of the financial documents of previous years online. A screenshot of a folder containing more than 80 thousand files with a volume of 56 GB was created on September 20 - just a day before the confirmation of the problem of the IT infrastructure.
So far, RansomHub representatives have not reported the theft of other confidential or personal information, which may indicate limited access to library system data. This was confirmed by the state's chief librarian, Annie Norman, who said that the library catalog, which contains reader data, was not affected during the attack.
Despite this, the public catalog remains operational on the site, and digital services such as magazine subscriptions and audiobooks continue to function. The state decided to restore the systems on its own, abandoning the ransom demand, which is in line with the recommendations of federal agencies such as CISA.
Many Internet users wonder why attackers decided to blackmail the state system in the first place, because such people usually experience a shortage of funding. It is likely that the hackers simply decided to go through simple targets.
Now the Delaware library network is actively cooperating with the state Department of Technology and Information, as well as with Microsoft. However, it can take weeks or even months to fully eliminate the consequences of an incident.
Source
