The Port of Kennewick, Washington reports that it is the latest target to suffer a crippling cyber-attack. The small port region far up the Columbia River and more than 180 miles southeast of the Port of Seattle demonstrates the indiscriminate nature of cybercrime.
The cyber-criminals placed an encryption lock on the port’s server and demanded $200,000 in ransom to restore access to the port’s servers and files.
The port, following the direction of the FBI and its technology professionals, has determined not to pay a ransom. “It would be using public funds and there is no guarantee an encryption key would be received after payment,” the port said in its statement.
They are rebuilding the port’s digital files from offline backups and working to restore the port’s email server, which is currently offline.
