It’s your fault, a National Security Agency official says to the city of Baltimore about the the ransomware attack that has disrupted city services.
The unknown hackers, who have demanded $100,000 in bitcoin, are using software stolen from NSA. The agency’s response: we warned Baltimore two years ago and they didn’t patch their network.
“NSA shares the concerns of all the law-abiding citizens around the world about the threat posed by that criminal, malicious cyber activity, but the characterization that there’s an indefensible nation-state tool propagating ransomware is simply untrue,” Joyce said at a cybersecurity conference hosted by CrowdStrike.
What’s true is that there is a nation-state tool, created by NSA, that is propagating ransomware. What is untrue is that it is indefensible. American cities have to defend themselves from NSA’s stolen weapon, and if they don’t do it quickly enough, the NSA feels that it is absolved of responsibility.
The ransomware is being used to extort money from other cities as well. The Baltimore Sun reports that the attack will cost the city up to $18 million.
Source: NSA Deflects Blame for Baltimore Ransomware Attack – Nextgov
