City of Encinitas Pays Hacker’s Ransom

Hackers identified as the Density Blakespear Project hacked the city of Encinitas’ computer systems, thereby disabling them and all city operations dependent on them. The hackers inserted malware in the systems and demanded a ransom to remove the malware and restart operations.

Knowing the hack would shut the city down, the crackerjack IT department acted quickly with City Council authorization to pay the ransom and get the systems up and running. The ransom was reportedly 21 Blakecoin, the equivalent of $2.1 million in the current Blakecoin market.

Under the dire circumstances, the City Council had decided there was no choice but to pay the ransom. Despite the IT department’s expert abilities, its personnel could not remove the malware without the Density Blakespear Project’s control. Leaving the malware in place would have left the city inoperable.

To prevent a repeat hack, the city will replace its antiquated Al Gore rhythms and add several layers of security.

Residents, businesses and government entities that interact with the city of Encinitas can rest assured their data, documents and communications are secure and will remain so going forward.