A computer hijacking paralyzed a US prison by turning off its security cameras

A computer hijack brought a US prison to a standstill by block security cameras, which forced confine inmates to their cellsaccording to official documents.

Hackers last week managed to break into the system that controls the servers and internet access of the county jail. Bernalillo, New Mexico.

The attack even briefly disabled the jail’s automatic doors, forcing staff to open and close each gate manually. when the detainees went to the shower or to walk.

“The absence of video surveillance raises a real concern for the safety of staff and detainees” when they are out of their cells, says the document transmitted to a local court on January 6.

Consequently, “detainees are temporarily confined to their cells” and deprived of activities, except for medical care.

The computer hijacking not only targeted the jail, but numerous other public services in Bernalillo County, the most populous in New Mexico, in the Albuquerque region.

In a statement on January 10, the county explained to its citizens that it was still affected by “computer problems” related to the attack, which prevent, for example, the delivery of marriage certificates, registration on electoral rolls or the registration of real estate transactions.

Requested by AFP, local authorities did not immediately respond.

No details about the identity of the hackers or the nature of their demands have been released.

A computer hijacking (or Ransomware) consists in the introduction of hackers in the computer network of an entity whose data is encrypted. The authors then ask those responsible for the company, organization or administration to pay a ransom, often in cryptocurrencies, in exchange for the decryption key.

According to a report by the US Treasury Department, some $590 million in bailouts related with this type of attacks were recorded in the first half of 2021 by financial establishments operating in the United States.

The figure is 42% higher than the amount indicated for all of 2020, which illustrates the acceleration of the phenomenon.



Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx

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