In an incident that should serve as a warning for government entities and corporations alike, Riviera Beach, Florida this week decided to pay $600,000 in ransom to threat actors that infected the city network with ransomware three weeks ago.
All the city’s records were encrypted as a result of the attack, which also impacted various critical systems including the email system and the 911 dispatch system. Riviera Beach City Council had already agreed to spend $1 million on rebuilding the computer network of the city, which has only 35,000 residents. A spokeswoman for the city said that the decision to pay the ransom was made based on the advice of external security consultants.
Read more: Florida City Pays $600,000 Ransom to Save Computer Records