TITLE: Ooops, Your Files Have Been Encrypted!
Validity: Must not ban computers
Description
Earlier this week @@CAPITAL@@ Medical Hospital started to experience a ransomware attack. Computers slowed down until a few days ago when they wouldn’t even start unless you paid ransom worth millions of @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@. Your ministers have repeatedly refused to pay but the ransomware has spread and many hospitals in @@NAME@@ are now experiencing the same.
Option 1:
“This is a catastrophe.”, sobs @@RANDOMNAME@@, an overworked oncologist, who is having a nervous breakdown in your office, “CT scan images, laboratory tests, patient data, everything is gone. Ambulances have to be send to other hospitals, all non-urgent operations and appointments are being cancelled.” @@HE@@ starts to become tense and breath heavily, “We have been able to prevent deaths but the longer this takes, the more lives are at risk. Pay the ransom, please!”
Effect: Becoming a multimilionair is dead easy
Option 2:
“Paying the hackers is rarely succesful.”, explains your minister of digital affairs @@RANDOMNAME@@, a bit too calmly, “We should consider the data lost and implement strict security measures and guidlines. For example, limiting access to health information to personnel and software that require it, keeping software up to date and training staff on email and web security. These are just a few of the measures we can take to be as sure as can be.”
Effect: Doctors risk losing patients and their nerves trying to access patient data with five-step authentification
Option 3:
“Those good ol’ times with pen and paper...”, reminiscences 40-year old system admin @@RANDOMNAME@@, who sits at a desk in your office you have not noticed before, “When we patch a bug, it will already have been exploited by hackers. Ransomware can sit for months on your server without even noticing. Pen and paper are much more reliable, and you know…,” as @@HE@@ starts to whisper, “they dont have eyes and ears. Get rid of them before it is too late!”
Effect: The popularity of ink stained fingers is on the rise
