Cyberattack at Los Angeles County Courts

On Friday, July 19, the Los Angeles County Superior Court suffered a ransomware attack on its computer systems. For this reason, the court of first instance and the other 36 county courts had to remain closed on Monday, July 22, and will return operational on Tuesday, July 23. Court officials said some of the court’s user data was compromised: this attack encrypts computer data and prevents access to network systems and data. This is the modus operandi used by cybercriminals, who paralyze computer systems in exchange for a ransom in dollars. Court officials have not answered questions about how the attackers took control of the systems, whether the county paid a ransom, what confidential information, where present, has been exposed, or whether data has been lost.