Earlier this week on April 22nd, Cleveland Hopkins Airport was struck with a ransomware attack that left information screens at the hub disabled. The information screens display baggage claims, flight arrivals, and flight departures. As of yesterday, the systems were still down, but the FBI is currently investigating the situation to figure out where the attack came from and how services can be returned to their normal function. Along with the information screens being down, emails services are also affected. A Cleveland City source claims that payroll and recording keeping systems were also involved, but City Hall has denied this claim and released a statement saying, “To help clarify some misinformation that is being circulated, core business systems such as accounting, payroll, timekeeping, etc., are maintained at the City level, were not compromised and remain fully functional.” It is being called an isolated technical issue by the City of Cleveland and they assure that safety and security operations, as well as personal information of customers and employees, have not been affected.
Analyst Notes
To avoid ransomware, OS should continuously be updated. Files should be backed up remotely in case information is the target of the attack. Antivirus programs can also be used to help detect ransomware.
