lockbit3 attacks frederickco
Incident Date:
July 14, 2022
Overview
Title
lockbit3 attacks frederickco
Victim
frederickco
Attacker
Lockbit3
Location
First Reported
July 14, 2022
LockBit3 Ransomware Attack on Frederick County Government
Victim Profile
Frederick County, a local government entity serving approximately 15,000 residents, has become the latest victim of the LockBit3 ransomware group. The county's economy is diversified, encompassing agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors. Its official website is a crucial portal for residents, offering access to a wide range of services including public works, finance, and health and safety information.
Vulnerabilities and Impact
The LockBit3 ransomware attack has led to significant disruptions within Frederick County's IT systems by encrypting data and demanding a $200,000 ransom to prevent the publication of the stolen data. This incident is part of a worrying trend, as the LockBit group has been credited with 50 ransomware incidents in June 2022 alone, demonstrating an increased focus on smaller municipalities by sophisticated ransomware operators.
Investigation and Response
In response to the cyberattack, Frederick County has engaged with digital forensics and incident response specialists to conduct a thorough investigation. As of now, the county has not disclosed any intentions to comply with the ransom demand, focusing instead on efforts to recover and secure their IT infrastructure.
The LockBit3 ransomware attack on Frederick County is a stark reminder of the escalating ransomware threat facing local governments. It emphasizes the critical importance of implementing comprehensive cybersecurity strategies to protect public sector entities from such malicious activities.
Sources
- Frederick County Government Website - https://frederickco.gov/
- Frederick County CivicAlerts
- Frederick Investigates Unauthorized Activity on Town's Computer Network
- Ransomware Group Says It Has Breached Colorado Town's Network
- Colorado Police Investigating Ransomware Attack on Small Town
Recent Ransomware Attacks
The Recent Ransomware Attacks (RRA) site acts as a watchtower, providing you with near real-time ransomware tracking of attacks, groups and their victims. Given threat actors’ overarching, lucrative success so far, ransomware attacks have become the most ubiquitous, and financially and informationally impactful cyber threat to businesses and organizations today.
The site’s data is generated based on hosting choices of real-world threat actors, and a handful of other trackers. While sanitization efforts have been taken, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of the data. Attack updates will be made as source data is reported by reputable sources. By viewing, accessing, or using RRA you acknowledge you are doing so at your own risk.