Ransomware Is Crippling City Governments — Here's How to Stop It
From Atlanta to Dallas, ransomware has cost municipalities hundreds of millions. Most attacks exploit basic security gaps that are surprisingly easy to fix.
In 2023 alone, over 2,200 US hospitals, schools, and government entities were directly impacted by ransomware. The City of Atlanta spent more than $17 million recovering from a single SamSam ransomware attack.
Municipal governments run on tight budgets with outdated IT infrastructure. Many still use Windows systems that are years past end-of-life. Attackers know this — a single phishing email to a city employee can compromise an entire network.
Even when cities refuse to pay, the recovery costs are staggering. Atlanta couldn't process water bill payments for months. Baltimore residents couldn't complete real estate transactions.
Implement immutable backups, automate patch management, deploy email security gateways, segment critical networks, and run regular security awareness training. None of these solutions require massive budgets.