[03-24-2015] CoinBuzz: 500 Bitcoin Ransom, Entire School District Shut Down

[b!z]

http://www.coinbuzz.com/2015/03/25/500-bitcoin-ransom-entire-school-district-shut-down/

Your thoughts?

[Kprawn]

And in the end, it turns out that it's a gifted student with a grudge. 

But seriously.... The linking of Bitcoin with Randsomware is becoming a issue and the FBI should be able to catch these guys.

The best solution should be to make regular incremental backups onto CD's / DVD's {Not external HDD's} and disconnecting computers used for examinations from the internet.

Why target kids? 

[Miracal]

Are the hackers insane? Attacking the school's computer system!! immoral! evil!

[bitbaby]

The local and state police, the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office’s High Tech Crimes Unit are all looking into the matter.

This is very serious indeed, let's hope that the 'High Tech Crime Unit' is able to get rid of the ransomware and have some sort of security enabled that stops this from affecting any other important institutions in future.

[1Referee]

Are the hackers insane? Attacking the school's computer system!! immoral! evil!

Hacker thiefs don't care about the tail of destruction they leave behind.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the school guys trying to get an easy and quick jackpot.

[Armis]

call CSI Cyber crimes division, they will have this solved in less than an hour. [smile]

[Chef Ramsay]

Hackers do many great things like holding govts and corporations accountable for certain things but these are the stories that rise to the top and define them as a whole. These guys need their own division of folks that seek out and destroy the rogue elements that are actually doing wrong and making the whole lot look like criminal miscreants or worse.

[Bit_Happy]

They used a virus to encrypt all the files:

Superintendent Terry Van Zoeren said, “There’s basically no tech service happening in Swedesboro-Woolwich right now. Essentially our network has been taken over and has been made non-operational.”

“We are operating as if it’s about 1981 again,” he added.

[Chef Ramsay]

They used a virus to encrypt all the files:

Superintendent Terry Van Zoeren said, “There’s basically no tech service happening in Swedesboro-Woolwich right now. Essentially our network has been taken over and has been made non-operational.”

“We are operating as if it’s about 1981 again,” he added.

This just goes to show how unprepared or unknowledgable many people are to deal with those on the cutting edge of technology at this point. They're bare naked ladies for the most part and I'm sorry this has happened. I'm no tech lord either but people aren't ready for the continual tech advances.

[Armis]

prob tech dept on strike, tired of asking for upgrades for years and complaining about vulnerabilities, got fed up and shut the whole thing down.

For $125K they might as well buy a whole new site with all of the bells and whistles, they should also consult with other school districts to see what they are doing right and to warn those with major vulnerabilities too.

Daily cold storage backups make sense too this way if you get robbed it's only the max of 1 day's worth of info.

[LiteCoinGuy]

hopefully they have a backup 

[b!z]

hopefully they have a backup 

It's unfortunate how many organizations do not take basic precautions such as backups.