Costa Rica Archives

Largest Telecom Operator in Central and South America Hit by Ransomware Attack

January 25, 2024

Claro, the biggest telecoms brand in South and Central America, suffered a ransomware attack on January 25, 2024. The attack inflicted damage to some of its network elements. Claro shared the news after more than a week of disruption to services in in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala , Honduras and Nicaragua. Disruption affected access to payments; videocalls, activation of new lines, internet services; cable tv.

On February 15, Claro issued a press release stating “the management services and customer interaction platforms are now back in operation”.

Costa Rica RECOPE Switches to Manual Operations

November 27, 2024

Costa Rica’s state oil refinery RECOPE switched to manual operations Wednesday after a ransomware attack targeted its computer systems. While fuel sales continue without interruption, RECOPE has directed all staff to avoid using digital platforms as cybersecurity teams assess the damage from the early morning attack on November 27.

This incident was the first real-world test of the U.S. State Department’s new rapid response tool for cybersecurity incidents; Foreign Assistance Leveraged for Cybersecurity Operational Needs, or FALCON. FALCON is one of several U.S. initiatives developed to bolster allies and infuse global digital norms with American values.

Cyberattack Distrupts Costa Rica Transportation Systems

January 17, 2023

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) called in Cybersecurity experts from the National Security Directorate and the Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications to address the situation that 12 servers were encrypted and all of MOPT’s computer systems were knocked offline. The government did not respond to request for more information but stated that international organizations were brought in for support.

Driving tests are still being conducted in person and while license issuance services were briefly disrupted, they are now being resumed.

Costa Rica Declares National Emergency in Response to Ransomware Attack

April 11, 2022

For the last two months (April/May 2022) Costa Rica has been under siege. Two major ransomware attacks have crippled many of the country’s essential services, plunging the government into chaos as it scrambles to respond. Officials say that international trade ground to a halt as the ransomware took hold and more than 30,000 medical appointments have been rescheduled, while tax payments have also been disrupted. Millions have been lost due to the attacks, and staff at affected organizations have turned to pen and paper to get things done.

Impact: 8 Major Gov. Agencies and services shutdown (30+ hit in total). National State of Emergency declared by President. Can’t collect taxes, delays processing imports/exports, 10k+ public employees can’t be paid. Medical attention and surgeries delayed or halted due to attack on Public Health (CCSS), container freight shipments slowed to a trickle at the port of Limón

Conti claimed responsibility for the first attack against Costa Rica’s government and is believed to have some links to the ransomware-as-a-service operation HIVE, which was responsible for the second attack impacting the health care system.