Cyber attack causes chaos in Costa Rica government systems
ABC News
Nearly a week into a ransomware attack that has crippled Costa Rican government computer systems, the country refuses to pay a ransom as it struggles to implement workarounds and braces itself as hackers begin publishing stolen information
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- Nearly a week into a ransomware attack that has crippled Costa Rican government computer systems, the country refused to pay a ransom as it struggled to implement workarounds and braced itself as hackers began publishing stolen information.
The Russian-speaking Conti gang claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Costa Rican government had not confirmed its origin.
The Finance Ministry was the first to report problems Monday. A number of its systems have been affected from tax collection to importation and exportation processes through the customs agency. Attacks on the social security agency’s human resources system and on the Labor Ministry, as well as others followed.
The initial attack forced the Finance Ministry to shut down for several hours the system responsible for the payment of a good part of the country’s public employees, which also handles government pension payments. It also has had to grant extensions for tax payments.
