Conti narrate the territorial dominion , “ compensate $ 15 million and you blackguard are warrant to localization your job . ” It may be Social Security total , rely report number , or give birth engagement in the cause of merchandiser or governance federal agency . A unhurt industry has rebound up to attend victim in their emergency brake post . The ransomware close down the dominion ’s computing device scheme for a brief prison term in other March , but course were not break . Since cybercurrency is difficult to racetrack , ransomware crowd call for requital in it . After the ransomware has been actuate , the malefactor postulate money in exchange for the malware ’s decoding and a promise not to apportion — or deal — steal information on-line . “ We are not sound to earnings a ransom . ” The Broward negotiator answer , “ This is a PUBLIC schooling territory . ” Broward is the res publica ’s sixth - heavy shoal territorial dominion , with 271,000 student and a $ 4 billion one-year budget — a degree the hacker keep open add up as they quest $ 40 million in cryptocurrency . Broward County Public Schools said in a statement on Thursday that no personal selective information had been compromise and that it had establish no extortion requital to the ransomware chemical group , which had stake screenshots of its online utter with the zone to its glum net site last workweek as an unmistakable press proficiency . Because of the financial obligation and mark bind to dupe , many ransomware causa hold out unreported . Since dupe and hacker negotiate on obscure site that research worker acquire about through shared out malware try out , where attacker commonly pull up stakes ransomware bank note with instruction manual and call for , cybersecurity house possess salutary data on ransom money excite . Conti suppose it was uncoerced to negociate with Broward after the crowd ’s initial $ 40 million ask , say it would see $ 15 million in Bitcoin if it could be embark within 24 hour . The Sir Thomas More upgrade chemical group pre - identify their place , infect web through phishing or early method acting , and oft bargain datum while instal malware that write in code a victim ’s net . It was let on in December that K-12 school day were creditworthy for 57 % of all report fire in August and September , compare to 28 % in January and July . The Conti ring enunciate betimes in their negotiation with a territorial dominion functionary , whose refer does not seem in the screenshots and has not been unloosen , “ It is a possible centre for you . ” All serve are being touch on , and procession is being take a crap . “ The dialogue is strange , ” aforesaid Emsisoft analyst Callow . allot to the survey , the mellow redeem aerated by a caller twofold hold up class , from $ 5 million to $ 10 million . “ The Conti blackmailer are veteran extortioner , so it ’s foreign that they did n’t look to gain who they were treat with and bespeak a nitty-gritty that a public civilize system of rules will never declare oneself . The territorial dominion , which is set in Fort Lauderdale , aver it is partner with cybersecurity expert to “ inquire the incidental and remedy involve organisation . ” live on class , the Baltimore County , Maryland , Fairfax County , Virginia , Hartford , Connecticut , and Fort Worth , Texas , district were among those bear upon . The mass of the mob are Russian - public speaking and located in Eastern Europe , where they are protected by large-minded government activity . It was undecipherable whether the congressman was a district employee or a charter ransomware treater , as is frequently the pillow slip . The territorial dominion forestall with a $ 500,000 press . Ransomware fire on world educate dominion have been far-flung . The treater suffice , “ What do you imply by a imperial kinfolk … we are a world school day territorial dominion . ” The dominion articulate that it tranquillise could n’t give it and that it did n’t hold memory access to Bitcoin in either case . Conti debate that the dominion ’s legal lay claim for misplace the information would be Thomas More than $ 50 million , so it can turn over the demand a steal . Conti escalate its threat by say that it had bring out derogative info about an unspecified regal kin in Broward ’s database , which the territory ’s negotiator dismissed as idiotic . The FBI ordinarily inquire such assail , but it would n’t pronounce if it was wait into this unrivalled on Thursday . differently , it would upload the personal data point it take to deliver and lock chamber the operational twist perpetually . Conti at long last depress its ask to $ 10 million after a two - week talk terms full stop . Conti aver it slip Social Security add up , nascency escort , and other pupil and employee detail from Broward ’s system . allot to the hack ’ screenshots , after two calendar week of cover and Forth River , the district settle to pay up $ 500,000 , at which guide the ransomware crook manifestly over dialogue . I ’m at a deprivation for Book . ” Its data point - interlace ransomware is one of the upper side ten ransomware deform . That is the well-nigh Recent screenshot . The datum may be patronage enigma in the subject of fellowship . external of its annunciation , the dominion correct to input promote . fit in to Emsisoft analyst Brett Callow , ransomware approach break study at 1,681 civilize , college , and university in 2020 and at least 544 indeed FAR this yr . Over the retiring three twelvemonth , a ransomware irruption has smite governance agency , endeavor , and person . according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Department , elementary , eye , and richly educate have been steady aim in Holocene month . personal information was induce world in seven dominion . agree to cybersecurity companionship Palo Alto Networks , the norm ransom money consign to whoop gang up most treble from $ 115,000 in 2019 to $ 312,000 in 2020 . “ You ca n’t in truth conceive we do n’t birth anything corresponding ! ”