Multitude of Ransomware Attacks Cause Lawmakers to Take Notice

Multitude of Ransomware Attacks Cause Lawmakers to Take Notice

Lawmakers are working to find a solution that will help counter ransomware attacks, which are affecting school districts and municipal governments.

Ransomware attacks are happening so often that senators have now made it one of their top priorities to find a solution that will help counter the threats.

In the last month, there have been several school districts across the country that have been impacted by ransomware attacks. Some of those districts were located in New York, Arizona and Virginia.

In those attacks, a hacker takes over a network and demands the district or entity pay them money in order for them to regain access.

Some of those districts had to delay school as a result of the attack. While others paid the hackers.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) declared a state of emergency after several districts were targeted by ransomware in July, reported The Hill.

“It’s a top priority of the committee, and we’ll continue oversight, we’ll continue looking at the issue. I can’t tell you anything specific we are going to do, though,” said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to the outlet.

There have been several bills introduced that would help local and state governments in the case of a ransomware attack.

One bill would make the Department of Homeland Security create a guide to help the governments defend and recover from a cyberattack.

However, The Hill reported there is a lack of urgency from lawmakers with elections and a government shutdown looming on Oct. 1 if the Democrats and Republicans cannot come to terms on the budget.

Michael Chertoff, who served under former President George W. Bush, told The Hill state and local government employees need to know how to identify potential cyber threats.

“One thing that we could be doing would be to help localities do some basic things to secure their infrastructure, including things like for example having backups for data, it’s not going to eliminate the problem, but it’s going to reduce the issue,” Chertoff said.

About the Author

Sherelle Black is a Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Integration Imagination: The Future of Connected Operations

    Security teams that collaborate cross-functionally and apply imagination and creativity to envision and design their ideal integrated ecosystem will have the biggest upside to corporate security and operational benefits. Read Now

  • Smarter Access Starts with Flexibility

    Today’s workplaces are undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by hybrid work models, emerging smart technologies, and flexible work schedules. To keep pace with growing workplace demands, buildings are becoming more dynamic – capable of adapting to how people move, work, and interact in real-time. Read Now

  • Trends Keeping an Eye on Business Decisions

    Today, AI continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. AI and the cloud together are redefining how video surveillance systems are being used to simulate human intelligence by combining data analysis, prediction, and process automation with minimal human intervention. Many organizations are upgrading their surveillance systems to reap the benefits of technologies like AI and cloud applications. Read Now

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dies After Utah Valley University Shooting

    Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after being shot during an on-campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah Read Now

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.