Village of Golf Manor considering paying ransom amid cyberattack

The village of Golf Manor will consider paying a $10,000 ransom to unlock computer systems affected by a ransomware attack that infiltrated and encrypted the village’s systems, rendering them inaccessible to administrators. The attackers have demanded payment to restore access, and they have threatened to publish data stolen from the government if the demand is not met, according to a Dec. 8 resolution being considered by the village.

Village leaders have not disclosed how the attack occurred or which essential services were affected, and it is unclear whether any personal data has been compromised, with details still emerging. DataBreaches[.]net has been unable to confirm whether a decision was made at the December 8 meeting.

A new state law in Ohio prohibits local governments from paying ransom unless its legislative authority formally approves the payment in a resolution or ordinance that states why it is in the best interest of the political subdivision, according to WLWT5. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.