Mayor denies getting ransom demand to fix computer outage

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta’s mayor and other officials are denying that a city computer outage is the result of a ransom demand.

An investigation continues into the outage that’s affecting departments from utilities to courts, bringing some city operations to a near standstill all week.

DEVELOPING STORY:

• Nick Viland is talking to local cyber-security experts to shed light on the outage, plus the mayor is expected to issue a formal statement. Watch for updates here on WRDW.com and on News 12 this afternoon and evening.

Since Johnson said earlier this week that it was caused by “unauthorized access,” there has been speculation that it’s the result of a ransomware attack.

Johnson said Thursday that no ransom demands have been made of the city.

In a ransomware attack, hackers gain access to computer systems and then scramble the data. They typically demand large sums of money to unscramble it. Even large and prominent corporations have been known to pay the ransom to get their systems back.

In addition to Johnson, several other high-level city officials denied the outage was a ransomware attack.

A spokesman for the FBI – which is investigating the matter – told News 12: “We are deferring to the city of Augusta on how they would like to describe it. We are assisting them.”

Unsure how long the crisis will last, various city offices are improvising and developing workarounds.

Johnson plans to issue a statement Thursday and hold a news conference Friday about the outage.

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