Johannesburg

Main article: South Africa

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2019

Ransomware virus attack and ransom demand

On October 24, 2019, during a targeted cyber attack, hackers hacked into the computer network of the city of Johannesburg (South Africa). They, using a ransomware virus, blocked the data of the city administration and promised to return them only after paying the ransom.

A group of cybercriminals known as Shadow Kill Hackers is demanding the payment of four bitcoins ($39,457). In their Twitter, hackers wrote that they took possession of confidential financial information, establishing full control over the city network. To prove their words, the hackers released screenshots showing the controls of the Johannesburg city network.

Ransomware virus attack on financial center

If they refuse to pay the ransom, they intend to make this data publicly available. However, if the payment is made on time, all confidential information will be destroyed, and hackers promise to tell Johannesburg employees how they managed to steal data and show the identified vulnerabilities in the security of the urban network.

Johannesburg officials confirmed the cyber attack but noted that the threat had been detected at an earlier stage and "critical information" was not affected. However, in the end, the city was forced to temporarily disable almost all of its IT infrastructure, including sites, payment portals and other electronic services. Over the weekend, the city administration tried to restore at least critical systems. As noted by ZDNet, the attack on the main financial center of South Africa, which is responsible for 16% of the country's gross domestic product, also dealt a tangible blow to the economy of the whole country.

This is not the first attack on Johannesburg. The city's main electric company, City Power, was also hit by a ransomware virus in July 2019. This time, the Johannesburg authorities decided not to pay the ransom to the attackers and intend to restore the city's IT infrastructure on their own using a backup.^[1]

Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba resigns

In October 2019, Herman Mashaba resigned as Mayor of Johannesburg following the election of Helen Zill as the new Chairman of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance Party.

"Helen Zill's choice is a victory for people whose beliefs are diametrically opposed to mine," Mashaba told a news conference today. Officially, he will resign as mayor on November 27 this year, which will give officials enough time to find a replacement.

Mashaba is known as an ardent opponent of illegal migrants in South Africa: "Illegal immigrants are holding our country hostage, and I will fight this to the last," the mayor promised in 2017.

There were rumors that Mashaba even supported private security companies, which became famous for brutal beatings during raids in poor areas, where there are just a lot of illegal migrants.

40 people arrested during new pogroms and arson of cars

In August 2019, more than 40 people were arrested for "looting and setting fire to buildings and vehicles" in the Yeppestown area of Johannesburg.

The riots began after the death of three people as a result of a fire in one of the buildings of the old housing stock.

Pogroms in migrant stores

On the night of August 15, 2019, residents of Soweto Township in Johannesburg staged mass raids on shops belonging to migrants.

Clashes with police over seizure of counterfeit goods

In August 2019, sellers took to the streets in Johannesburg after police confiscated counterfeit goods.

Traders from Jeppe Street throw stones at police cars and tip over garbage cans.

Blackout over ransomware virus

On July 25, 2019, residents of the financial capital of South Africa, Johannesburg, were left without electricity due to a ransomware virus, a malware that blocks access to computer systems or files until the hacker's requirement is met. The virus has blocked all databases, applications and IT networks of the city's main energy company City Power, leaving virtually all of Johannesburg without electricity. Read more here.

Customs

A woman washes in her pelvis naked in central Johannesburg, August 2019.

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