(TNS) — Murray County paid $200,000 to hackers after a ransomware attack on the county’s computer systems, according to a press release from Noah Bishop, sole commissioner of Murray County.
Most of the computers have been restored, and security measures are being tightened, the press release said.
The decision to pay the ransom came following guidance from cybersecurity and data consultants to prevent the publication of county data, the press release said.
The county posted May 13 on Facebook it had been hit by a cyber attack and several county offices had limited functionality.
The fee was paid about two weeks ago, Bishop said by phone. Bishop was not able to share further information as an investigation is pending.
“Due to a history of conservative spending and careful investment of county funds, the county’s reserves, held for unexpected events or downturns in the economy, allowed for the payment of this fee with minimal impact on operations, payroll or pending projects. The county’s 2026 budget was unaffected by this incident,” the press release said.
According to the FBI, ransomware can come in the form of an email attachment, ad or link that, when clicked, can download malicious software onto a computer. The ransomware can prevent the user from accessing files, computer systems or networks until the ransom is paid.
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