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by D. Howard Kass Apr 4, 2022

The FBI has warned local governments to expect that ransomware attacks on agencies will have significant repercussions by straining financial and operational resources and disrupting a multitude of services.

In a newly issued Private Industry Notification (PIN), the federal law enforcement arm said previous ransomware instances levied on local government agencies had impacted public and health services, emergency and safety operations, and compromised personal data.

The severity and frequency of and damage from attacks are not likely to ebb, the FBI said. In the next year, local U.S. government agencies almost certainly will continue to experience ransomware attacks, particularly as malware deployment and targeting tactics evolve, further endangering public health and safety, and resulting in significant financial liabilities, the law enforcement agency said.

With the cybersecurity communitys attention drawn largely to the war in Ukraine and the resulting threats of global cyber warfare, the FBIs missive serves as a reminder to the public/private sector and to managed security service providers of ransomwares potential for destruction.

In compiling information for the PIN, the FBI appeared to rely heavily on a 2021 study conducted in the U.K. on the state of ransomware in 30 countries. Heres some top line data from that report:

The report also provides some details on four ransomware attacks dating to January, 2021, spaced roughly four months apart, that hit the local government sector:

Ransomware attacks against local government entities and the subsequent impacts are especially significant due to the publics dependency on critical utilities, emergency services, educational facilities, and other services overseen by local governments, making them attractive targets for cyber criminals, the alert said.

The FBI has compiled a list of recommended best practices to fend off ransomwares capabilities:

To limit an adversarys ability to learn an organizations enterprise environment and to move laterally, take the following actions:

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Ransomware Will Grind You Down Without Proper Precautions, FBI Tells Local Governments - MSSP Alert