Priya PatelTLDR:
- The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department was hit by a cyberattack, resulting in a $1.1 million ransom being paid in cryptocurrency.
- The attack, which came in as a phishing email, led to data loss going back five years and delayed the implementation of a new computer system until 2025.
One year after the cyberattack, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is still dealing with the aftermath. The attack, which occurred in April 2023, involved hackers locking up the department’s computer system and demanding a ransom of $1.1 million in cryptocurrency. Despite paying the ransom, the department lost data going back five years and is not expected to have a replacement computer system online until 2025.
The attack, which came in as a phishing email disguised as being from an outside contractor, is not uncommon according to cybersecurity experts. The department kept the attack a secret initially to keep the ransom demand down, but eventually had to acknowledge the nature of the disruption. Despite the setback, the department has been proactive in implementing new security measures and training for employees to prevent future attacks.
While the public was not at risk during the attack, the department has faced challenges in rebuilding its records management system and restoring lost data. Moving forward, they are focused on enhancing security measures and ensuring that similar incidents do not happen again. Sheriff Shannon Dicus has been sharing their experience with other law enforcement agencies to raise awareness and prevent similar attacks in the future.
