Attackers breach and encrypt TV station’s email server

The email server of FOX21 News has been hacked over the weekend and the information it contained held ransom.

The attackers were asking for $5,000 to decrypt the information they encrypted, but the station’s engineers were fortunately able to restore the email system by Monday. Still, there is no word on whether they were able to restore the encrypted information from backup, or whether they gave into the request – my guess is the former.

“Our engineers did some research and found this hacker hit a number of servers around the globe, but the FBI has not been able to find him because he is using ghost addresses,” stated reporter Rachel Welte.

Denver-based KVDR speculates that the station’s email server was possibly one of the targets of Anonymous’ “Operation USA”.