Ride the Lightning

Atlanta’s Ransomware Attack Could Cost $17 Million

August 7, 2018

The last time I talked about Atlanta's March ransomware attack, consequent costs were expected to be $2.6 million. Apparently, things have changed. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on August 1^st that it had obtained a seven-page document marked "confidential and privileged" – which identifies $6 million in existing contracts along with an additional $11 million in potential costs associated with the cyber-attack. The report does not disclose who authored it, nor does it make it clear how much of the expenses would have been incurred regardless of the attack.

But no matter how you slice it, this was one of the more expensive attacks suffered by any local government this year.

And as the article makes clear, the city was woefully unprepared for this kind of attack. Let that serve as a warning for other local governments!

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