In 2019 governments reported 163 ransomware attacks, a nearly 150% increase from 2018. More than $1.8 million in ransoms paid and tens of millions of dollars spent on recovery costs. Tight budgets, a growing attack surface and inadequate cybersecurity talent are the top reasons that cities struggle with the attacks, the Deloitte report says. The city of Durham and Durham County in North Carolina has been shuttered since a successful ransomware attack struck the municipalities on the evening of March 6. The report offers advice for municipalities worried about ransomware attacks: Keep it hard for its harder for the attacks to encrypt.”]