Baltimore Leaders Ask NSA If Its Work Enabled City’s Hackers

hackers-are-holding-baltimores-government-computers

The New York Times reported that hackers used a tool known as EternalBlue to spread the ransomware through the city’s systems. The Times cited anonymous security experts briefed on the case.

Hackers Are Holding Baltimore’s Government Computers Hostage, and It’s Not Even Close to Over.

On May 7, hackers infected about 10,000 of Baltimore city government’s computers with an aggressive form of ransomware called RobbinHood, and insisted the city pay 13 bitcoin (then $76,280, today $102,310) to cut the computers loose. The hackers claimed the price would go up every day after four days, and after the tenth day, the affected files would be lost forever.
“We won’t talk more, all we know is MONEY!” the ransom note read. “Hurry up! Tik Tak, Tik Tak, Tik Tak!” (Credit: gizmodo.com)

 

After it was hit by a ransomware attack, Baltimore immediately notified the F.B.I. and took systems offline, but not before several of them were affected. (Credit: Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times)

(TNS) — U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger are seeking briefings from the National Security Agency after a report that a spying tool developed by the agency and then leaked online was used to spread the ransomware that has debilitated Baltimore’s computer systems.

And  Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott said the federal government should step in to cover some of the cost of Baltimore’s recovery.

The New York Times reported Saturday that hackers used a tool known as EternalBlue to spread the ransomware through the city’s systems. The Times cited anonymous security experts briefed on the case.

Ruppersberger, a Democrat whose district includes part of Baltimore, has previously raised concerns about the dangers posed by EternalBlue and other leaked tools — part of a huge cache posted online in 2017 by a group calling itself the Shadow Brokers — and says more needs to be done to counter them.

“If recent media reports regarding the origins of the Baltimore ransomware attack are true, the congressman’s concerns are further validated,” said Jaime Lennon, a spokeswoman for Ruppersberger. “We will be seeking a full briefing from NSA regarding these reports.”

“The National Security Agency headquarters in Maryland. A leaked N.S.A. cyberweapon, EternalBlue, has caused billions of dollars in damage worldwide. A recent attack took place in Baltimore, the agency’s own backyard”: New York Times.

 

Credits:
https://www.govtech.com/security/Baltimore-Leaders-Ask-NSA-If-Its-Work-Enabled-Citys-Hackers.html
https://gizmodo.com/hackers-are-holding-baltimores-government-computers-hos-1834948639

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-nsa-hack-zero-day-20160821-story.html