(ABC 6 News) — Pay the ransom, and you could pay for it again. That was the warning from cybersecurity experts after Winona County paid over $128,000 following a cyberattack in January.
Related: Winona County paid $128K to resolve January ransomware attack
Just three months later in April, a different group came knocking which left Winona County facing a second ransomware attack.
Related: Minnesota National Guard to provide emergency assistance in Winona County following cyberattack
County officials say the two attacks were unrelated, but cybersecurity experts say it’s all part of a growing threat.
“A ransomware attack is truly a vicious type of attack.. The impacts can be catastrophic,” said Michael Lebowitz, a national security and cyber attorney.
For a county government, computers are more than just the machines themselves. They are how people access everything from drivers licenses and vital records to other public utilities. So when those systems go down, critical services follow.
Winona County has seen that impact firsthand this year, starting with January’s attack that took several county computer networks offline. Getting those systems back then came with the $128,539.57 price tag.
“They say, ‘hey, if you don’t pay us, we’re going to delete all of your information so you never can use it, or we’re going to release that information to the public,’” said Lebowitz.
After working with cybersecurity experts and its insurance carrier, the county made the ransom payment, and in a statement, officials described the move as “the necessary approach to best serve the interests of Winona County residents and employees.”
Despite the county’s best interests, cybersecurity experts warn it could set a dangerous precedent.
“The FBI certainly doesn’t recommend paying the ransom because then they’re known to pay,” said Lebowitz.
The threat didn’t end in January as the second attack came just months later in April. This attack impacted vital emergency and municipal services.
“You might think this is just a financial shakedown, but you might be doing material property damage and even affecting life and limb and loss of life,” said said Joshua Corman, an executive for the Institute for Security and Technology.
Winona County’s experience comes as cybercriminals increasingly set their sights on the systems communities rely on.
Just last month, more than 40 Minnesota water systems were targeted in a coordinated cyberattack linked to Iran. It’s a threat cybersecurity experts only expect to grow.
Related: Iran-linked group claims responsibility for cyberattacks on Minnesota water systems, report says
“Winona County and all over Minnesota and throughout the country will continue to get these more and more, because, again, people in counties and businesses are paying out,” said Lebowitz.
County officials said both cyberattacks remain open criminal investigations and they are still reviewing data from the April attack to determine what information was involved and who was affected.
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