The ransomeware attack on several of the City of Atlanta's municipal systems earlier this year proves to be an unshakeable issue for officials and citizens alike.
The attack, which occurred on March 22, still has Atlanta struggling to recover.
Hackers from the ransomware group SAMSAM, demanded $50,000 from the state in order to unlock breached data- an offer officials ultimately rejected. Consequently, the city spent an estimated $2.6 million to repair damage and reinforce their systems to prevent another attack.
The mayor's office is now reevaluating the extent of the financial damage, concluding $9.5 million more is needed for ransomware cleanup.
The attack crippled even the most powerful of state municipalities, such as the City Attorney's office, which went from 77 functioning computers to six and lost 10 years' worth of documents due to the attack.
Additionally, Atlanta Police lost all dash cam footage as a result of the attack.
The attack made system-dependent tasks like paying parking tickets or utility bills impossible for Atlanta residents days after the initial breach.
According to Daphne Rackley, the city's deputy chief information officer, more than a third of the city's 424 vital programs were kicked offline or disabled during the attack.
The extent of the city's damage is under further investigation.
