Hackers Ransoming CCTV Cameras Before The Inauguration

Before the inauguration in Washington, hackers used ransomware to take down DC police surveillance cameras forcing the police to remove all the software and reinstall it on 123 cameras. While that was an arduous task, no ransom was paid. Tim Erlin, Senior Director of IT Security and Risk Strategy at Tripwire commented below.

Tim Erlin, Senior Director of IT Security and Risk Strategy at Tripwire:

“The less ransom that’s paid, the less profitable ransomware will be for the criminals involved. By now, it should be well understood that having functioning backups and a clear, efficient restore process are the best defenses against ransomware. If you’re in a position where you have to pay the ransom, you were simply unprepared for the reality of connected computing today. Security doesn’t just happen; it has to be designed into the system.  As we connect more and more devices to the Internet, we can expect attacks like ransomware to expand their footprint. Embedded and purpose-built devices are often built with less consideration for unexpected inputs, and can be more vulnerable to attacks.”