Also, that’s nothing new. Government has been experiencing a steady increase in all kinds of cyberattacks for some time now, and the preferred method of attack keeps evolving.
“We try to do a rolling number of total public safety and local government attacks that we’ve found in the past 24 months, and so we’ve watched that continually grow in the past three years,” said Aubrey Larson, a marketing manager at the cybersecurity firm SecuLore Solutions. “We’re now up to 394 … when I first started that number was like 100 in the past 24 months.”
There’s no central authority to which governments report cyberattacks, so the best way to collect nationwide data is through the media. Two cybersecurity firms in particular, SecuLore and Recorded Future, both keep tabs on the stories and produce data from them.
Recorded Future’s data, compiled by Senior Solutions Architect Allan Liska, focuses specifically on ransomware. He’s documented a sudden rise in ransomware attacks this year: There have already been 77 this year, more than in all of 2018. And that’s if you count the coordinated attacks on 22 local governments in Texas as one attack. If all those attacks were counted separately, the number would be in the high 90s.
SecuLore’s data, which moves beyond ransomware to cover all kinds of cyberattacks on state and local government, provides some important context to this. The firm provided Government Technology with a rolling 24-month total of attacks going back two years, and the data shows a slow, steady increase that never stops.
The types of attack are constantly shifting. MS-ISAC, which helps public entities monitor and protect against cyberthreats, shows that there is a new trend in cyberattacks practically every year. So ransomware is the big threat right now — but who knows if that will continue?
It should be noted that there are limitations inherent in using media reports to compile data. They can provide ample details, but it’s virtually guaranteed that the data sets are incomplete, because the news media won’t catch every attack, and not all attacks are reported.
“You’ve got to be careful about who you communicate this to, because you could be leading them straight to a vulnerability that they could utilize,” Larson said.
Further, there is a possibility that trends captured in such data reflect the news media reporting on attacks more, rather than an actual increase or decrease in attacks.
But it’s likely the best information available.
Here is a table, current as of Sept. 20, of ransomware attacks on government compiled by Recorded Future.
| Date | Jurisdiction Type | State | Ransomware Family | Ransom Demand | Attribution | Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr-16 | City agency | MI | Unknown | $25,000 | Y | |
| Nov-16 | City agency | CA | HDDCryptor | $73,000 | N | |
| Jan-17 | City agency | MO | Unknown | $35,000 | N | |
| Jul-17 | City agency | IN | Unknown | $1,000 | Y | |
| Nov-17 | City agency | CA | Unknown | $8,000 | N | |
| Apr-18 | City agency | ME | Unknown | $400 | N | |
| May-19 | City agency | MA | Hermes | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-16 | County | WY | TeslaCrypt | Unknown | N | |
| Mar-16 | County | IL | CryptoWall | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-16 | County | IA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-16 | County | MN | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Oct-16 | County | OH | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Nov-16 | County | IN | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Nov-16 | County | IN | Unknown | $21,000 | Y | |
| Nov-16 | County | MD | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jan-17 | County | FL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-17 | County | ID | Unknown | $30,000 | N | |
| Feb-17 | County | OH | Unknown | Unknown | Y | |
| Apr-17 | County | GA | Unknown | $39,600 | Eastern Europe | N |
| May-17 | County | IL | WannaCry | Unknown | North Korea | N |
| Jul-17 | County | NJ | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Aug-17 | County | MN | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Sep-17 | County | KS | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Dec-17 | County | NC | LockCrypt | $23,000 | N | |
| Feb-18 | County | NC | SamSam | $23,000 | Iran | N |
| Apr-18 | County | GA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-18 | County | GA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Oct-18 | County | ID | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Oct-18 | County | IL | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Oct-18 | County | IL | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Mar-19 | County | GA | Ryuk | $400,000 | Y | |
| Mar-19 | County | NC | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-19 | County | CA | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-19 | County | MI | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-19 | County | UT | Unknown | Unknown | Y | |
| May-19 | County | SD | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| May-19 | County | TX | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| May-19 | County | TX | Unknown | $184,000 | N | |
| Jun-19 | County | OH | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-19 | County | WV | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | County | AZ | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Jul-19 | County | IN | Ryuk | $130,000 | Y | |
| Aug-19 | County | NC | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-19 | County | IN | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Aug-19 | County | NC | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| May-18 | County | NC | Scarab | $2,500 | N | |
| Jul-18 | County | AK | Bitpaymer | $400,000 | N | |
| Feb-16 | County agency | CA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Mar-16 | County agency | NV | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| May-16 | County agency | AZ | CryptoLocker | Unknown | N | |
| Dec-16 | County agency | PA | Nymain | $1,400 | Y | |
| Jun-17 | County agency | NY | WannaCry | Unknown | North Korea | N |
| Jul-17 | County agency | IN | Unknown | $1,000 | N | |
| Jan-18 | County agency | SC | Unknown | $35,000 | N | |
| Jul-18 | County agency | PA | Unknown | $6,500 | Y | |
| Oct-18 | County agency | NC | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| May-19 | County agency | ID | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| May-19 | County agency | KY | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-19 | County agency | OH | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | County agency | NY | Ryuk | Unknown | U | |
| Feb-16 | Court | AZ | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-16 | Court | OH | Unknown | $2,883 | Y | |
| Mar-18 | Court | CT | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Court | GA | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Feb-16 | Education | SC | Unknown | $8,000 | N | |
| Mar-16 | Education | MN | Unknown | $6,000 | N | |
| May-16 | Education | NY | Unknown | $500 | N | |
| May-16 | Education | OR | Scarab | Unknown | N | |
| Nov-16 | Education | MT | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Dec-16 | Education | MI | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-17 | Education | IL | Unknown | $37,000 | N | |
| Apr-17 | Education | MT | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-17 | Education | SC | Unknown | $2,900 | Y | |
| Dec-17 | Education | ID | Unknown | $65,000 | N | |
| Jan-18 | Education | SC | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jan-18 | Education | TN | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-18 | Education | MA | Unknown | $10,000 | Y | |
| May-18 | Education | OR | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-18 | Education | CT | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Aug-18 | Education | MN | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-18 | Education | FL | GandCrab | Unknown | N | |
| Nov-18 | Education | MI | Unknown | Unknown | Y | |
| Jan-19 | Education | CT | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Feb-19 | Education | IL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-19 | Education | NM | Unknown | $5,000 | N | |
| Mar-19 | Education | MN | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| May-19 | Education | OH | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| May-19 | Education | OK | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Education | CT | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Education | LA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Education | NY | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Jul-19 | Education | NY | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Education | NM | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Education | AZ | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Education | NY | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Education | NY | Ryuk | $100,000 | Y | |
| Aug-19 | Education | AL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-19 | Education | OK | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-19 | Education | CT | Unknown | < $10,000 | Y | |
| Aug-19 | Education | VA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-19 | Education | NJ | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-19 | Education | AZ | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-19 | Education | IL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-19 | Education | PA | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Sep-19 | Education | CT | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Sep-19 | Education | PA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-19 | Education | MO | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-16 | Education | MS | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jan-17 | Education | WV | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Dec-16 | Education | CA | Unknown | $28,000 | Y | |
| Mar-18 | Education | MS | SamSam | Unknown | Iran | U |
| Mar-17 | Miscellaneous | PA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-18 | Miscellaneous | CA | SamSam | Unknown | Iran | N |
| Oct-18 | Miscellaneous | IN | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| May-19 | Miscellaneous | KY | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Dec-13 | Municipality | NH | CryptoLocker | $300 | N | |
| Jan-16 | Municipality | MA | Unknown | $300 | Y | |
| Feb-16 | Municipality | NC | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Mar-16 | Municipality | NY | LeChiffre | $400 | Russia | N |
| Apr-16 | Municipality | NJ | Unknown | $650 | N | |
| Jun-16 | Municipality | WI | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Jul-16 | Municipality | MN | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-16 | Municipality | FL | Unknown | $33,000,000 | N | |
| Sep-16 | Municipality | CA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-16 | Municipality | TN | Unknown | $1,000 | N | |
| Apr-17 | Municipality | NJ | SamSam | $30,000 | Iran | Y |
| Aug-17 | Municipality | MO | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-17 | Municipality | VT | Global 3 | $250 | N | |
| Oct-17 | Municipality | CO | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Oct-17 | Municipality | ME | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Oct-17 | Municipality | WA | Unknown | $9,170 | Y | |
| Nov-17 | Municipality | TN | Unknown | $250,000 | N | |
| Dec-17 | Municipality | WI | Unknown | $2,000 | Y | |
| Jan-18 | Municipality | NM | SamSam | $35,000 | N | |
| Jan-18 | Municipality | SD | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-18 | Municipality | GA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-18 | Municipality | GA | Unknown | Unknown | Y | |
| Mar-18 | Municipality | AL | Unknown | $8,000 | Y | |
| Mar-18 | Municipality | CT | GandCrab | Unknown | N | |
| Mar-18 | Municipality | CT | Unknown | $2,000 | N | |
| Mar-18 | Municipality | CT | Unknown | $2,000 | N | |
| Mar-18 | Municipality | GA | SamSam | $55,000 | Iran | N |
| Apr-18 | Municipality | ME | Unknown | $1,000 | N | |
| Apr-18 | Municipality | VA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| May-18 | Municipality | GA | Unknown | $320,000 | N | |
| Jun-18 | Municipality | FL | Amnesia 3 | $1,200 | Y | |
| Jun-18 | Municipality | OH | Unknown | $4,900 | N | |
| Jul-18 | Municipality | AK | Hermes | $26,000 | Y | |
| Sep-18 | Municipality | MA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Oct-18 | Municipality | CT | Unknown | $2,000 | Y | |
| Oct-18 | Municipality | IA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Dec-18 | Municipality | FL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Dec-18 | Municipality | OR | PewCrypt | $50,000 | Romania | N |
| Jan-19 | Municipality | OH | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jan-19 | Municipality | TX | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Jan-19 | Municipality | WA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-19 | Municipality | CT | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Mar-19 | Municipality | NY | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Apr-19 | Municipality | CA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-19 | Municipality | FL | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-19 | Municipality | FL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-19 | Municipality | ME | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Apr-19 | Municipality | NC | RobbinHood | Unknown | U | |
| May-19 | Municipality | CA | Unknown | $400,000 | N | |
| May-19 | Municipality | MD | Robbinhood | $75,000 | N | |
| May-19 | Municipality | PA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-19 | Municipality | FL | Ryuk | $460,000 | Y | |
| Jun-19 | Municipality | FL | Ryuk | $600,000 | Y | |
| Jun-19 | Municipality | FL | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-19 | Municipality | TX | Doppelpaymer | $40,000 | U | |
| Jul-19 | Municipality | MA | Ryuk | $5,300,000 | N | |
| Jul-19 | Municipality | OH | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Municipality | TN | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-19 | Municipality | TX | Sodinokibi | $2,500,000 | N | |
| Sep-18 | Municipality | NE | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Sep-16 | Public safety | HI | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Dec-17 | Public safety | OH | Unknown | $11,400 | N | |
| Jun-19 | Public safety | RI | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Nov-13 | Public safety | MA | CryptoLocker | $750 | Y | |
| Jun-14 | Public safety | AL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-14 | Public safety | NH | CryptoWall | Unknown | N | |
| Nov-14 | Public safety | TN | CryptoWall | $572 | Y | |
| Feb-15 | Public safety | IL | Unknown | $500 | Y | |
| Apr-15 | Public safety | ME | Megacode | $300 | Y | |
| Feb-16 | Public safety | MA | Unknown | $489 | Y | |
| Aug-16 | Public safety | MA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-16 | Public safety | TX | Unknown | $250 | U | |
| Oct-16 | Public safety | PA | Unknown | $500 | N | |
| Dec-16 | Public safety | MA | Unknown | $4,600 | Y | |
| Dec-16 | Public safety | SC | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jan-19 | Public safety | MD | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Mar-19 | Public safety | TX | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-16 | Public safety | FL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jun-16 | Public safety | TN | Scarab | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-16 | Public safety | RI | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-16 | Public safety | FL | Unknown | Unkonwn | N | |
| Dec-16 | Public safety | AR | Unknown | $2,400 | Y | |
| Dec-16 | Public safety | TX | Unknown | $4,000 | N | |
| Jan-17 | Public safety | MO | CryptoMix | Unknown | U | |
| Feb-17 | Public safety | IL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Mar-17 | Public safety | IL | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Aug-17 | Public safety | LA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-18 | Public safety | AR | Unknown | None | N | |
| Mar-18 | Public safety | MD | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-18 | Public safety | CT | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jan-19 | Public safety | TX | Dharma | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-19 | Public safety | GA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-19 | Public safety | VI | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Jul-19 | Public safety | GA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Apr-15 | Public safety | MA | CryptoLocker | $500 | Y | |
| Jan-17 | Public safety | DC | Cerber | Unknown | N | |
| Nov-18 | Public safety | NJ | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| May-17 | Public safety | TN | WannaCry | Unknown | North Korea | N |
| Apr-18 | Public safety | OH | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| May-18 | Public safety | OH | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-18 | State | CT | WannaCry | $48,000 | North Korea | N |
| Jun-18 | State | RI | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-16 | State agency | ND | Unknown | $350 | N | |
| Feb-17 | State agency | OK | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-17 | State agency | WI | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Oct-17 | State agency | TX | Unknown | Unknown | U | |
| Dec-17 | State agency | GA | Unknown | Unknown | N | |
| Feb-18 | State agency | CO | SamSam | Unknown | Iran | N |
| Mar-18 | State agency | CO | SamSam | Unknown | Iran | N |
| Mar-19 | State agency | MA | Ryuk | Unknown | N | |
| Sep-19 | State agency | OK | Theft of $4,200,000 |
