Scourge · April 17 2022

The Scourge of Costa Rica

Chronicle

On 17 April 2022 the Conti gang hit Costa Rica's Ministry of Finance, crippling tax collection and customs, and over the following weeks attacked more than two dozen other public institutions. On 8 May the newly inaugurated president, Rodrigo Chaves, declared a national emergency: a first for a ransomware attack. Conti demanded up to $20 million and, when the government refused, leaked the stolen data.

Lesson learned

It showed that an entire state administration can be held hostage, and that refusing to pay is possible but takes preparation and international allies.

Prayer of reparation

O Conti, who threatened to topple a government for a ransom, let your heirs always find closed doors, and let small countries find big friends. Amen.

How it is remembered

Remembered with continuity plans for essential state services, offline backups across public institutions and a properly resourced national incident-response centre.