Seattle Public Library will spend $1M responding to ransomware attack
Sep 27, 2024, 5:36 PM
The Seattle Public Library's central branch. (Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
(Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The Seattle Public Library expects to pay $1 million out of their own pocket responding to a ransomware attack that shut down internet access, public computers, and in-person checkouts to all 27-branches around the city on Memorial Day, according to library officials.
Thursday, Library Director of Administrative Services, Rob Gannon, told his board of trustees the money includes $800,000 in consulting fees and $200,000 for extra technology costs. According to Chief Librarian Tom Fay, the money will also paid out of the ‘s 2024 budget of the Seattle Public Library by the end of the year because it doesn’t meet the City of Seattle’s cyber liability policy deductible, which is also $1 million.
The attack is the first of two major attacks to hit area organizations the public uses daily. Last month, “threat actors” attacked the Port of Seattle impacting various services, including at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Rhysida, the group credited with carrying out that attack, reportedly posted stolen files on the “dark web” and sought 100 bitcoin as payment, which is the equivalent of around $6 million.
Congressional testimony: Sea-Tac Airport official states hackers demanded ransom of about $6M in bitcoin
Spokespersons for the airport have said most operations have fully recovered from their attack. Library officials said Thursday their services are slowly recovering too. They told their board their $1 million price tag includes fees for consultants, attorneys, forensic computer engineers, and negotiators who communicated with cyber attackers.
Library officials also board members hackers stole information from their systems, however they anticipate not knowing for several more weeks whether that includes personal identifiable information or how much. Once they do know, individuals will be notified about any leak of personal information.
“We know that data has left the library,” Gannon reported to the board. “We do not have any even early indication about the extent of personal information that may have been compromised.”
Luke Duecy is a reporter, editor and anchor at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Luke’s stories here. Follow Luke on X, or email him here.
