Pay up, Lincolnshire, or your data gets it. Systems still down after Cryptolocker hitsCouncil has shut down entire IT network to prevent spread of ransomware
Exclusive The Register has learned that Licolnshire County Council has been hit by "CryptoLocker" ransomware, leading it to turn off all of its networks' computers yesterday.
As reported yesterday, Lincolnshire County Council shut down all of its computers after an alleged 0-day attack began to spread throughout its systems.
The Register has now learned that the malware infecting the council's systems was CryptoLocker, a malicious program which takes hold of a computer and encrypts its contents rendering them inaccessible to the user.
This form of malware, known as ransomware, then demands a ransom from the user - often to be paid in virtual currency Bitcoin - in order to decrypt and make accessible the computer's files.
CryptoLocker does not use 0-day vulnerabilities (previously undisclosed vulnerabilities in software which the software's authors have "0 days" to patch), as it first reared its head in September 2013.
Similarly named malware has been spotted since then, however, with newer vulnerabilities exploited. Many of these have utilised a insecure encryption algorithm. Security companies have often provided decryption utilities for those affected by such malicious software.
It is understood that the ransomware took root in Lincolnshire's systems after a staff member opened a dodgy email attachment - the most common attack vector for cybercriminals.
A spokesperson from the council told The Register that 300 computers belonging to staff had been hit by the ransomware, though it is unclear whether servers or data stores had been affected.
The council's networks are still down, and it is suggested they will not be back up until next week. The Register has been unable to contact the IT provider Serco regarding the outage
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/01/28/lincolnshire_council/
