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Some Ohio Counties Fell Victim To Recent Cybercrime Attacks
By: Associated Press
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NEWARK, Ohio (AP) – Some local governments in Ohio have been among the thousands of victims of a cybercrime threat known as “ransomware” that spread rapidly last year.
The Newark Advocate reports that ransomware is often launched from outside the country and comes in the form of a computer virus that freezes a computer system until a ransom is paid.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently released a report stating that more than 4,000 ransomware attacks have occurred daily since Jan. 1, 2016. Computer security firm Symantec found that the average ransom demand is $679.
The newspaper reports that Licking, Marion and Columbiana counties have all experienced ransomware attacks in recent years.