How ransomware attacks like Columbus' happen
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
As Columbus continues to recover from last summer's ransomware attack, a new special project from Axios' Visuals team explains how such data breaches occur.
Why it matters: Columbus isn't alone. Ransomware — in which hackers encrypt victims' computers and put sensitive information at risk until a ransom is paid — has plagued nearly every sector.
- Hospitals, schools, publicly traded companies and even auto dealers have also faced service disruptions or had to shut down due to its impact.
Stunning stat: Last year was likely the highest-grossing year for ransomware gangs in decades, with a company paying one gang a record-breaking $75 million.
Catch up quick: Though Columbus didn't pay a ransom to the group that claimed responsibility for the local breach, the city is now paying in other ways.
- The attack, which involved a malicious download, compromised the sensitive data of over 500,000 people.
- Residents and others are eligible to sign up for two years of free Experian credit monitoring on the city's dime.
- The city extended the credit monitoring enrollment deadline to March 31. Around 21,700 people had signed up as of last week, spokesperson Melanie Crabill tells Axios.
Follow the money: So far, City Council has allotted up to $7 million toward all of the costs related to the cyberattack's aftermath.
What's next: An investigation into what happened is ongoing. The city's law firm, Dinsmore & Shohl, will eventually release a report outlining the hack and the total cost to the city, Crabill says.
💻 Go deeper: How a ransomware attack works, an Axios Visuals story by Sam Sabin, Aïda Amer and Jared Whalen showcasing the tactics used by the prominent ransomware gang LockBit.