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Illinois college, hit by ransomware attack, to shut down

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Re: Illinois college, hit by ransomware attack, to shut down

#2
I am sympathetic to companies that keep backups of their data, but don't have comprehensive plans to restore that data after an attack. A company that plans properly might be up-and-running within a day or two, but getting to that point isn't easy.

But getting to the point of needing to shut down entirely because of a ransomware attack seems like negligence. If your data is that vital to you, you really ought to have some backup of it.

Re: Illinois college, hit by ransomware attack, to shut down

#5
Nations should lessen the penalties for white-hat and even grey-hat hackers who report their findings. They should have strong protections; they are helping all of society and national security. Instead, we have politicians and executives who make legal threats to cover their mistakes and everyone suffers for it. I have this view because I have personally walked away from security problems I've discovered simply by pressing F12, I don't want the legal hastles and costs.

Sadly, I think we're more likely to see pressing F12 become illegal, meanwhile society will lament that half the country's personal data is leaked on a weekly basis and ransomware runs rampant.

Re: Illinois college, hit by ransomware attack, to shut down

#6
post #2

I am sympathetic to companies that keep backups of their data, but don't have comprehensive plans to restore that data after an attack. A company that plans properly might be up-and-running within a day or two, but getting to that point isn't easy. But getting to the point of needing to shut down entirely because of a ransomware attack seems like negligence. If your data is that vital to you, you really ought to have…

They got back up and running, but don't have enough enrollment to keep the doors open. The ransomware attack is just part of the reason - in addition to COVID - but it might have been a major factor in them not getting enrollment to the point where they could survive.

Re: Illinois college, hit by ransomware attack, to shut down

#7
It sounds like they weren't in a great financial situation to begin with. Definitely a tragedy to have everything down for three months and to find out afterwards that you're not going to have enough money to stick around next year.

I wonder what the ransom was and if they paid it.

Side note: Planet Money had an interesting segment on insurance claims for things like cyber attacks last week, it's worth giving a listen.

Re: Illinois college, hit by ransomware attack, to shut down

#8

A tragedy That needs to happen The humanizing done about how its was something like an HBCU and weathered other calamities is sad, should also be a wakeup call to other organizations

I don't know why this was down voted, but I agree, that this tragic shutdown makes it clear that Ransomeware affects the real world.

Re: Illinois college, hit by ransomware attack, to shut down

#9
post #7

It sounds like they weren't in a great financial situation to begin with. Definitely a tragedy to have everything down for three months and to find out afterwards that you're not going to have enough money to stick around next year. I wonder what the ransom was and if they paid it. Side note: Planet Money had an interesting segment on insurance claims for things like cyber attacks last week, it's worth giving a liste…

Cyber insurance premiums are skyrocketing YoY due to ransomware attacks based on conversations with clients. Overall, it’s still a challenge to demonstrate the value of defending against them (reducing attack surface, real backups and data recovery plans, phishing exercises to see who is click happy and what their privileges have access to, etc) to folks who don’t understand the risk this poses.

Like driving without insurance, it works until it doesn’t.

Re: Illinois college, hit by ransomware attack, to shut down

#10

Nations should lessen the penalties for white-hat and even grey-hat hackers who report their findings. They should have strong protections; they are helping all of society and national security. Instead, we have politicians and executives who make legal threats to cover their mistakes and everyone suffers for it. I have this view because I have personally walked away from security problems I've discovered simply by p…

> Nations should lessen the penalties for white-hat and even grey-hat hackers who report their findings.

Digital Good Samaritan laws.

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