The Port of San Diego has been hit with a ransomware attack that took down some of its computers.
The attack, first noticed on Tuesday, knocked offline IT systems that handle issuing park permits, receiving public records requests, and administering other business services.
The port itself remains open. "Public safety operations are ongoing and ships and boats continue to access the Bay," Port of San Diego CEO Randa Coniglio said in a statement.
It isn't clear which ransomware strain struck the port, which declined to answer questions about the attack. However, the hacker's ransom note demanded payment in Bitcoin to free the infected computers. The port refrained from disclosing the amount.
To prevent the ransomware from spreading, port authorities shut down other related IT systems. They're also working with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate the breach. The FBI declined to comment.
"It is important to note that this is mainly an administrative issue and normal port operations are continuing as usual," Coniglio said.
The incident is the latest ransomware attack to disrupt public services. In March, a ransomware strain called SamSam struck the city of Atlanta, shutting down IT systems used across the local government. In that incident, the hackers demanded $51,000 to unlock infected systems. The SamSam strain was also reportedly behind another attack in July involving LabCorp, one of the biggest clinical lab testing companies in the world.
Ransomware infects a computer with malicious code that locks the computer down. To free the system, victims are asked to pay up, usually in a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. Security experts warn against paying these ransoms, however; sometimes it's just a lost cause and there's no way to unlock ransomed systems.
Hackers typically attack via phishing emails or by breaching online systems protected by weak passwords.
The Port of San Diego administers 34 miles along San Diego Bay, so a ransomware attack could've had disastrous consequences had spiraled out of control.