Columbus Approves $23M Cybersecurity Investment Post-Hack

Columbus City Council Approves $23 Million for Cybersecurity

Columbus City Council has authorized the expenditure of $23 million to enhance the city's cybersecurity infrastructure, particularly following a significant cyberattack experienced around July 18, 2024. This decision comes almost a year after the attack, which involved the cybercriminal group Rhysida leaking sensitive data about residents and city employees on the dark web. The council unanimously passed this proposal, with Councilmember Nick Bankston heralding the establishment of a "zero trust network" as "transformational" for the city.

Columbus City Council Meeting
The zero-trust network framework will require strict verification for every user and device, and segment the city’s network into smaller, isolated zones, thereby minimizing the risk of widespread threats. Fening from the mayor's office explained this model aims to assume threats can exist inside and outside the network, which is a departure from traditional security frameworks.

Further, Columbus previously allocated up to $7 million in a contract with Dinsmore & Shohl for legal and incident response services after the cyberattack. Council plans to hold a hearing upon the release of a report detailing the cyber incident, which has faced delays.

For more information, visit the following links:
Columbus Cyberattack Recovery | Zero Trust Network Details | Dinsmore & Shohl

Columbus Allocates $4 Million for Affordable Housing

The Columbus City Council has also allocated approximately $4 million from affordable housing bonds to support two apartment complexes. The Reserve at Maryland Avenue will create 84 new affordable apartments, while the renovation of the Tivoli Apartments will preserve 88 affordable units.

As Columbus prepares to ask voters for additional affordable housing bonds, the council voted unanimously to approve these allocations on July 14. The city plans to present a $1.9 billion bond package to voters in November, including $500 million specifically for affordable housing and neighborhood development.

Using bond dollars approved by previous elections, $2 million is allocated to the Reserve at Maryland Avenue, a modular development set to be built by Connect Housing Blocks, which emphasizes environmental sustainability and efficiency. The Tivoli Apartments will receive $2.2 million to preserve its affordable offerings, ensuring that the units are accessible to families making 60% of the area's median income or less.

For further details, check the links below:
Columbus Affordable Housing Bonds | Connect Housing Blocks | Previous Bond Approvals

Ransomware Attacks Target Russian Vodka and Healthcare Sectors

The Novabev Group, parent company of the Beluga vodka brand, experienced a ransomware attack on July 14, 2025, causing significant disruptions. The attack affected WineLab, the company's liquor store chain, leading to a three-day closure of over 2,000 locations in Russia. The company reported that the attack crippled its IT infrastructure, particularly point-of-sale systems and online services. Novabev Group stated, "The company maintains a principled position of rejecting any interaction with cybercriminals and refuses to fulfill their demands."

By Alan V Gutnov July 19, 2025 3 min read

Retail Sector Faces Surge in Ransomware Attacks: A 2025 Analysis

Publicly disclosed ransomware attacks on the retail sector globally surged by 58% in Q2 2025 compared to Q1, with UK-based firms being particularly targeted, according to a report by BlackFog. This spike in attacks follows high-profile breaches affecting retailers like Marks & Spencer (M&S), The Co-op, and Harrods, attributed to the threat actor known as Scattered Spider.

By Alan V Gutnov July 19, 2025 2 min read

AI-Driven Lcryx Ransomware Emerges in Cryptomining Botnet

A cryptomining botnet active since 2019 has incorporated a likely AI-generated ransomware known as Lcryx into its operations. Recent analysis by the FortiCNAPP team at FortiGuard Labs identified the first documented incident linking H2miner and Lcryx ransomware. This investigation focused on a cluster of virtual private servers (VPS) utilized for mining Monero.

By Edward Zhou July 19, 2025 3 min read

Preventing ClickFix Attacks: Safeguarding Against Human Error

ClickFix is an emerging social engineering technique utilized by threat actors to exploit human error. This technique involves misleading users into executing malicious commands under the guise of providing "quick fixes" for common computer issues. Threat actors use familiar platforms and deceptive prompts to encourage victims to paste and run harmful scripts.