HVAC contractors in the Southeast who were unaware of the concept of ransomware learned about it quickly as they struggled to fuel their fleets following the Colonial Pipeline shutdown. A few weeks later, ransomware made headlines by halting meat production at the nation’s largest processor. Then came the Fourth of July weekend, when hundreds of mid-size firms became victims of ransomware attacks due to a flaw in software from a company called Kaseya.
Those are the high profile cases. Some estimates find there are almost 200 attacks a day. One of those attacks struck a Michigan high school at the end of last year. According to press reports, the attack came in through the HVAC system’s remote controls and shut down several critical functions, including the heat. The school was able to get everything back online before students returned and didn’t pay the ransom.