North Carolina public radio station hit by ransomware attack

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WHQR-FM in Wilmington, N.C., has recovered from a ransomware attack earlier this month.

Several computers and a server at the station were infected with the malware, which hackers use to encrypt files and demand money to restore data, according to the local Star News. Ransom messages began popping up March 16.

Station Manager Cleve Callison told the newspaper that a local tech company took a week to fix the issue and was able to save the stolen files without paying the hackers. The station’s membership database was never accessed, he said.

During repairs, clues emerged that suggested the attack may have originated in Latvia. Callison said the station is considering legal options.

Western Reserve Public Media in Kent, Ohio, was also infected with ransomware in February. Station president Trina Cutter called the incident “a sobering wake-up call.”

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