Bitcoin 'Ransomware' Freezes Council Offices Across Italy
Municipal council offices across Italy have had their computer files encrypted by a 'ransomware' virus that is demanding payment in bitcoin. According to Corriere della Sera, one of the country's top newspapers, dozens of regional office workers are unable to pay bills, issue certificates or access server documents until they pay the digital ransom. The attackers' fee is currently set at €400 worth of bitcoin, though this amount is said to double after three days. After launching from a location in St Petersburg, Russia last Wednesday, the virus spread rapidly through the council's....
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The computer systems of tens of local administrations in Italy have fallen to a "ransomware" computer virus that encrypts stored files and requests payment in Bitcoin for the decryption keys. The ransom is 400 Euros, and it doubles after three days. Also read: Surge in Ransomware Likely Due to Bitcoin. Administration officers at Bussoleno, a small town in Northern Italy, could only recover important files by acquiring Bitcoin and paying the ransom. According to a story posted to Reddit, this is the first time a nation state is forced to acquire Bitcoin. That is not entirely true, since the....
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