City Power

History

2019: Attack of a virus racketeer

On July 25, 2019 residents of the financial capital REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA Johannesburg were left without electricity because of virus racketeer — the malware which blocks access to computer systems or files until the requirement of the hacker is met.

The virus blocked all databases, applications and IT networks of the main power company of the city City Power, having left without electricity practically all megalopolis.

Date of cyber attack was selected not casually - on July 25 many companies pay out to workers wages which often leaves on payment of accounts. According to the South African edition My Broadband, the subscribers using prepayment-based rates as a result of an incident were left without the electric power and without an opportunity to pay for it.

Many inhabitants used own solar batteries for power generation which excesses lowered in the general network, however as a result of cyber attack also this function therefore neighbors cannot share with each other energy directly became unavailable.

Residents of Johannesburg were left without electricity because of a virus racketeer which blocked all systems of the main power company

The municipal company announced blocking of all networks and servers through Twitter. Representatives of City Power warned users that the website of the company will be unavailable indefinitely, and it will not be possible to pay the bill for electricity yet. In the company delays with their elimination apologized to inhabitants for the arisen difficulties and also for possible failures with energy supply also.

City Power stated that it works on recovery of all vulnerable applications now. Representatives of the company said that IT department of the company does everything possible for the fastest recovery of the affected systems and services. City Power did not report yet what redemption is demanded by the hacker and what type of a virus racketeer attacked the company.^[1]

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