Add as a preferred source on Google


Community College Pays Hacker $28,000 for Ransomware Attack

  • By Staff
  • 01/10/17

Last month, Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) was hit with a ransomware attack, forcing the California Community College system to pay an unidentified hacker nearly $28,000 to retrieve stolen data. The investigation is still in the early stages, and as of now no breach data was identified.

LAVC consulted with its leadership, outside cybersecurity experts and law enforcement before making the payment. “It was the assessment of our outside cybersecurity experts that making a payment would offer an extremely high probability of restoring access to the affected systems, while failure to pay would virtually guarantee that data would be lost,” according to a statement. The attack has disrupted many computer, online, e-mail and voicemail systems.

The United States Department of Justice estimates that approximately 4,000 ransomware attacks occurred every day in the U.S. in 2016. Education is the sector most targeted by ransomware, according to a recent report from security analyst BitSight, which found that 13 percent of institutions experienced ransomware attacks last year.

A PDF explaining what happened at LAVC in more detail is available here.

Featured

  • Hand holding a stylus over a tablet with futuristic risk management icons

    Why Universities Are Ransomware's Easy Target: Lessons from the 23% Surge

    Academic environments face heightened risk because their collaboration-driven environments are inherently open, making them more susceptible to attack, while the high-value research data they hold makes them an especially attractive target. The question is not if this data will be targeted, but whether universities can defend it swiftly enough against increasingly AI-powered threats.

  • hand typing on laptop with security and email icons

    Copilot Gets Expanded Role in Office, Outlook, and Security

    Microsoft has doubled down on its Copilot strategy, announcing new agents and capabilities that bring deeper intelligence and automation to everyday workflows in Microsoft 365.

  • Graduation cap resting on electronic circuit board

    Preparing Workplace-Ready Graduates in the Age of AI

    Artificial intelligence is transforming workplaces and emerging as an essential tool for employees across industries. The dilemma: Universities must ensure graduates are prepared to use AI in their daily lives without diluting the interpersonal, problem-solving, and decision-making skills that businesses rely on.

  • business man using smart phone in office

    Microsoft Copilot Adds Voice Commands, Teams Collaboration, Local Data Processing

    Microsoft has introduced new features within its Microsoft 365 Copilot offering, aimed at making further foothold in the enterprise, including voice-based interaction, group collaboration tools, and an expansion of in-country data processing.