Hackers need bitcoin ransom from Johannesburg city right after cyber attack – Tek Portal

Johannesburg city council member Funzela Ngobeni explained the hackers received obtain to the city’s laptop methods previous Thursday and gave them till Monday to make the payment of 4 bitcoins, which is equal to 500,000 rands, according to the council.The officials are refusing to pay and the ultimatum date has now elapsed.“The town will not concede to their demands for bitcoins, and we are confident that we will be ready to restore programs to entire functionality,” Ngobeni stated in a statement.Ngobeni referred to as the breach an “attack on the individuals of the town” and explained the hackers experienced focused a time period when inhabitants were being earning month to month payments for utilities and also when the council pays its sellers.

Johannesburg City spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane claimed the hackers experienced sent messages to workers laptops asking for bitcoin payment, and authorities were being pressured to shut down the techniques to stay clear of a additional breach.
“They bought messages from these individuals inquiring for bitcoin payment, and we just had to shut down all the units,” Modingoane told CNN.
The cyber breach has influenced the city’s on-line electronic platforms, such as its billing and payment methods, he reported.
He claimed a group of local IT and international forensic specialists have been capable to get 80 per cent of its techniques back again on the internet.
Citizens in Johannesburg, a city of more than 5 million people, have been encouraged to pay out hard cash in person at banks and use other 3rd parties payment platforms for invoice payments until eventually the concern is settled.
A ransomware attack on just one of the city’s electrical power distribution organization also left quite a few citizens with out electric power in July.