Baltimore City Network Struck with Ransomware Attack

The city of Baltimore has been hit with a ransomware attack that forced the shutdown of most city servers as officials investigate the origin and severity of the campaign.

Baltimore's 911 and 311 systems were not affected in the incident, the Baltimore Sun reports. City Hall employees were instructed to unplug Ethernet cables and turn off computers, printers, and other devices, Democratic city councilman Ryan Dorsey said to the publication. He indicated the attack was "spreading computer to computer."

Lester Davis, a spokesman for Democratic mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young, noted this attack was similar to the ransomware campaign that infected Greenville, NC, last month. In that case, officials found a form of ransomware called RobinHood. It has not yet been determined which specific type of threat has been used in this particular attack against Baltimore.

This marks the second time ransomware has hit Baltimore: In March 2018, a cyberattack infected the city's 911 dispatch system and took down automated dispatches for 911 and 311 calls. An Internet port was reportedly left unprotected and exploited by attackers, officials said.

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