(AP) – Officials with a sheriff’s office in northern Arkansas
say they paid a ransom after their computer system was hacked earlier this
month.
Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Daniel Klatt says the department’s system
was hit Dec. 5 with ransomware, which typically works by encrypting files until
the victim pays the hackers, often in the electronic currency bitcoin.
Klatt says the department paid three bitcoin – or about $2,400 – to unlock the
computer system. According to the Harrison Daily Times , the hackers encrypted
the department’s management system, which holds reports, bookings and other
day-to-day operational data.
Klatt says none of the data was stolen and that the county’s computer system’s
was back up on Monday.
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