Costa Rica Ransomware Chaos A Warning to Other Unprotected Developing Nations
The country presents a test case for what exactly the U.S. government owes its friendly and allied governments who fall victim to disruptive ransomware attacks.
Landwebs
Ra somware attacks currently disrupting everyday life in Costa Rica exemplify the potential threat to other largely unprotected developing nations, as hackers shy away from “big-game” targets in the U.S., reports the Associated Press. “Today it’s Costa Rica. Tomorrow it could be the Panama Canal,” said Belisario Contreras, former cybersecurity program manager at the Organization of American States.
The ransomware gang known as Conti launched the first attack against the Costa Rican government in April. It demanded a $20 million payout, prompting the newly installed President Chaves Robles to declare a state of emergency as the tax and customs offices, utilities and other services were taken offline. The country presents a test case for what exactly the U.S. government owes its friendly and allied governments who fall victim to disruptive ransomware attacks. Conti, one of the more prolific ransomware gangs currently operating, has hit over 1,000 targets and received more than $150 million in payouts in the last two years, according to the FBI.
