Security News > 2022 > May > Costa Rica declares national emergency after Conti ransomware attacks

The Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves has declared a national emergency following cyber attacks from Conti ransomware group on multiple government bodies.

On Sunday, May 8th, the newly elected Costa Rican President Chaves declared a national emergency citing ongoing Conti ransomware attacks as the reason.

Conti ransomware had originally claimed ransomware attack against Costa Rican government entities last month.

The country's public health agency Costa Rican Social Security Fund had earlier stated that "a perimeter security review is being carried out on the Conti Ransomware, to verify and prevent possible attacks at the CCSS level."

"The attack that Costa Rica is suffering from cybercriminals, cyberterrorists is declared a national emergency and we are signing this decree, precisely, to declare a state of national emergency in the entire public sector of the Costa Rican State and allow our society to respond to these attacks as criminal acts," said the President, accompanied by Minister of the Presidency, Natalia Díaz, and the Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications, Carlos Alvarado.

According to analysts from multiple cybersecurity firms, Conti is now managing various side businesses meant to sustain its ransomware operations or pay for initial network access when needed.

News URL

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/costa-rica-declares-national-emergency-after-conti-ransomware-attacks/