Indonesia’s governmental systems got a nasty surprise—a full-fledged ransomware invasion by a digital villain dubbed LockBit. This cyber scoundrel, waving the notorious Lockbit 3.0 flag named ‘Brain Cipher’, decided June 20 was the perfect day to throw a wrench in the works. The attack hit at least 210 national institutions like a digital tsunami, turning simple tasks like issuing a passport at the country’s immigration office into an endurance test of bureaucratic patience, stranding frustrated travelers with their hopes of an easy getaway.
How does Indonesia tackle this modern-day ransom note on their virtual front door? Their options were akin to a techy “Sophie’s Choice”: cough up $8 million in hush money (crypto-style, because even baddies go with the tech flow) or bravely attempt a system restore from what one hopes isn’t a similarly compromised backup. The government played it coy, keeping mum on whether they met the LockBit ransom demands or simply channeled their inner IT warrior and went the backup route to salvation.
Adding salt to the virtual wound, ransomware not only locks files but often comes with a side of data theft, leaving victims in a perpetual state of digital discomfort. Evildoers exfiltrate sensitive info then threaten to spill the digital beans all over the internet, essentially hanging a “Kick Me Hard” sign over the already beleaguered victim. In the broader scheme of things, ransomware remains a favorite tool for hackers, who often procure their initial keys to the kingdom from shady digital markets, setting the stage for the chaos caused like seasoned puppet masters.
**Hot Take**
Ransomware: the digital equivalent of a supervillain that not only breaks into your house but also locks you out, steals your stuff, and then has the audacity to ask for a hefty sum to let you back in. Indonesia’s stance? Picture them, standing in superhero capes, maybe (just maybe) not paying the ransom, as they somehow keep their digital dignity intact—or, at least, their secrets.
Original Article: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/indonesian-government-says-national-data-center-was-hit-in-ransomware-attack-but-it-wont-pay-up