Georgia’s biggest county still battling aftermath of January cyberattack

TLDR:

• Fulton County, Georgia, is still repairing damage from a cyberattack by the LockBit ransomware syndicate in January 2024.
• The hackers demanded ransom and threatened to release sensitive data, including information related to a criminal case against former President Donald Trump.

Georgia’s largest county, Fulton County, is facing ongoing challenges as it works to recover from a devastating cyberattack that occurred in January 2024. The attack, carried out by the LockBit ransomware syndicate, targeted government offices and caused significant disruptions to essential services. The hackers demanded ransom from county officials and threatened to publicly release sensitive data, including information related to a criminal case against former President Donald Trump.

The ransomware syndicate claimed to have stolen records connected to the pending criminal case against Trump, which added a layer of complexity to the situation. Despite law enforcement agencies disrupting LockBit’s operations and seizing their systems, the hackers persisted in their threat to release the data. However, county officials made a firm decision not to pay the ransom, leading to a tense standoff.

As the deadline passed and no data was released, Fulton County officials remain vigilant, knowing that the threat may resurface at any time. While progress has been made in restoring phone service and online systems, the county continues to face challenges in fully recovering from the attack. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive data.