Security News > 2022 > December > LockBit threatens to leak confidential info stolen from California's beancounters
LockBit claims it was behind a cyber-attack on the California Department of Finance, bragging it stole data during the intrusion.
The notorious ransomware gang boasted it exfiltrated 76GB from the state agency, which apparently included databases, confidential information, financial and IT documents, and, oddly enough, "Sexual proceedings in court." LockBit has promised to publish "All available data" on December 24, presumably unless the California state government pays a ransom, although no information has been released about any monetary demand.
Officials in the US state did not go into much detail about the affair other than to confirm there had been a "Cybersecurity incident." The California Cybersecurity Integration Center said it is "Actively responding" to an intrusion into the Finance Department's IT network.
No state funds have been compromised, and the Department of Finance is continuing its work.
"While we cannot comment on specifics of the ongoing investigation, we can share that no state funds have been compromised, and the Department of Finance is continuing its work to prepare the Governor's Budget that will be released next month," the statement said.
Ransomware groups have attacked at least 101 state and local government agencies in the US this year, and at least 22 of those have had data stolen, according to Callow.