Bucharest’s District 5 City Hall report ransomware attack
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Bucharest’s District 5 City Hall report a ransomware attack that compromised its servers. The attackers demand US $5 million in ransom. District 5 Mayor Cristian Popescu Piedone publicly stated that the City Hall would not pay the ransom.
The attack was discovered when City Hall employees reported issues with the telephone switchboard, prompting a maintenance team investigation. During the investigation, it was confirmed that servers had been targeted by a ransomware attack, with a message from the attackers displayed on the screen demanding payment.
The attack was limited to the headquarters of District 5 City Hall and did not affect other departments operating from different locations.
No details are disclosed about any exposed data or number of affected individuals.
City Hall officials contacted the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitization, as well as the National Cyber Security Directorate, to initiate recovery and response efforts. Mayor Piedone emphasized the city's refusal to comply with the ransom demand and indicated that improved cybersecurity measures would be implemented once the situation is resolved.
Update - as of 10th of November 2024, following failed ransom negotiations, the attackers proceeded to offer the stolen data of claimed 200,000 residents for sale on dark web.
Exposed Data Types:
- Personal identification numbers
- Full names
- Residential addresses
- Additional personal details
