Two-thirds of police internet-connected CCTV cameras in Washington DC were forced offline in January ahead of the presidential inauguration after a ransomware attack Attack.Ransom . Officials told the Washington Post that 123 out of a network of 187 cameras were affected . The devices are apparently used run by the police to monitor public spaces . The attack targeted 70 % of the storage systems on which camera data is recorded , leaving them out of action from 12 to 15 January , the report claimed . However , the issue was resolved by removing each device ’ s software and reinstalling at each site . There are said to have been at least two forms of ransomware on the system , although local officials have played down the seriousness of the attack . The ransomware was isolated to the CCTV network and didn ’ t affect police investigations or put public safety in jeopardy , according to the report . In related news , police in Texas have lost nearly eight years ’ worth of digital evidence after refusing to pay a ransomware fine Attack.Ransom . The Cockerell Hill Police Department in south Dallas decided after speaking to the FBI not to pay Attack.Ransom the near $ 4000 ransom Attack.Ransom after discovering the malware in mid-December . The ransomware was introduced to the network via a spam email spoofed to imitate Attack.Phishing a department-issued address . A statement published by WFAA last week has the following : “ This virus affected all Microsoft Office Suite documents , such as Word documents and Excel files . In addition , all body camera video , some in-car video , some in-house surveillance video , and some photographs that were stored on the server were corrupted Attack.Databreach and were lost . No information contained in any of those documents , videos , or photographs was extracted or transmitted outside of the Police Department ” . The files affected date all the way back to 2009 , although the police tried to play down the impact on investigations , claiming that hard copies of all documents and “ the vast majority ” of videos and photographs are still kept on CD/DVD . “ It is unknown at this time how many total digital copies of documents were lost , as it is also unknown how many videos or photographs that could have assisted newer cases will not be available , although the number of affected prosecutions should remain relatively small , ” it noted

It is suspected that Ukrainian-based hackers took the Cockrell Hill Police Department 's server for ransom Attack.Ransom last month , resulting in the loss of video evidence . The police chief decided not to pay the ransom Attack.Ransom and instead had the server wiped , according to WFAA in Texas . The television station reported that the police chief does not believe this was a targeted attack by terrorists . Cybercriminals are thought to have casted a wide net with spam and an unsuspecting police department employee invited the malware in upon clicking on a link . According to Acronis , the latest update of the Locky crypto-ransomware variant , Osiris , is behind this attack . Acronis ’ New Generation technology that proactively prevents zero-day infections , discovered this new mutation . It currently bypasses all ( to our best knowledge ) antivirus/anti-malware software , including Windows Defender . [ Learn about top security certifications : Who they 're for , what they cost , and which you need . Accoridng to a press release , once the Cockrell Hill Police Department became aware that files on the server had been corrupted Attack.Databreach by a computer virus , they immediately disconnected the server and all computers from the internet and all state database systems and were able to contain the virus . The virus had been introduced onto the network from a spam email that had come from Attack.Phishing a cloned email address imitating Attack.Phishing a department issued email address . An internet webpage showed that if the police department paid $ 4,000 in Bitcoin , then the police department 's online contents would be released . The FBI Cybercrimes unit recommended that the police department isolate and wipe the virus from the servers . This virus affected all Microsoft Office Suite documents , such as Word documents and Excel files . In addition , all body camera video , some in-car video , some in-house surveillance video , and some photographs that were stored on the server were corrupted Attack.Databreach and were lost , the police department stated in its release . Files that were affected did go back to 2009 , however hard copies of all documents and the vast majority of the videos and photographs are still in the possession of the Police Department on CD or DVD . It is unknown at this time how many total digital copies of documents were lost , as it is also unknown how many videos or photographs that could have assisted newer cases will not be available , although the number of affected prosecutions should remain relatively small , the press release said