City of Columbus sues man after he discloses severity of ransomware attack
Columbus has sued researcher David Leroy Ross for disclosing details of a ransomware attack, disputing the city's claim about unusable stolen data, and seeking a restraining order to prevent further dissemination.
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The City of Columbus has filed a lawsuit against security researcher David Leroy Ross, who disclosed the extent of a ransomware attack that occurred on July 18, 2024. The attack, attributed to the Rhysida group, resulted in the theft of 6.5 terabytes of sensitive data, which the city initially claimed was unusable due to encryption or corruption. However, Ross provided evidence contradicting this assertion, showing that the data was intact and included sensitive information about city employees and residents. Following Ross's disclosures to the media, the city sought a temporary restraining order to prevent him from accessing or disseminating the stolen data. Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein emphasized that the lawsuit is not about freedom of speech but rather about protecting public safety and the integrity of ongoing investigations. The restraining order was granted without Ross's prior knowledge, and while it restricts him from sharing the data, it does not prevent others from accessing it on the dark web.
- Columbus sues researcher for revealing details of a ransomware attack.
- The city claims the stolen data was unusable, which Ross disputed with evidence.
- A temporary restraining order was issued against Ross to prevent further dissemination of the data.
- The lawsuit aims to protect public safety and the integrity of criminal investigations.
- The dark web data remains accessible despite the restraining order against Ross.
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City of Columbus sues man after he discloses severity of ransomware attack
Columbus has sued researcher David Leroy Ross for revealing sensitive data from a ransomware attack by the Rhysida group, claiming his actions threaten public safety and ongoing investigations.
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City of Columbus sues man after he discloses severity of ransomware attack
Columbus has sued researcher David Leroy Ross for revealing sensitive data from a ransomware attack by the Rhysida group, claiming his actions threaten public safety and ongoing investigations.