PAID RANSOM: Sheriff Randy Mayfield.

Computer hackers using something known as ransomware hacked into the computer of the Carroll County sheriff and that forced a ransom payment, through electronic currency, of $2,400 for the office to regain control of its computer. Report here from the Harrison Daily Times.

The sheriff’s office said the hackers were believed to be in  India or Russia.

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The system was hit Dec. 5 and discovered in process before hackers took over all information held by the sheriff’s office.

[Sheriff Randy] Mayfield said he told Klatt to contact the state Attorney General and the FBI to find out what they could do. Though none of those officials wanted to tell them in so many words, Mayfield’s office did the only thing it could.

They paid the ransom.

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