The new Costa Rican government is on the verge of collapse following a massive ransomware attack. A ransomware gang that infiltrated Costa Rica systems and obtained sensitive data has now said it intends to overthrow the government. President Rodrigo Chaves has only just come to power, perhaps adding to the attackers’ confidence. The Russian-based Conti gang, responsible for a number of high impact attacks, raised its ransom demand to $20 million in an effort to scare Costa Rica into action. Chaves announced that Costa Rica is now “at war”, and has declared a national state of emergency. It’s thought the gang has access to at least 27 government databases, and has warned it will escalate the attack if payment is not made soon.
