LockBit claims Wichita is its victim, two days after the ransomware attack

The LockBit ransomware group claims to be responsible for a ransomware attack on the City of Wichita. The attack occurred over the weekend and disrupted the city’s networks and services.

Large parts of the area are affected, including the airport, water supply and public transport. The city has been forced to transition to a cash-based system where necessary until systems are fully operational again.

LockBit added Wichita to its website on May 7 – one day after the city disclosed the incident to the public and two days after the cyberattack occurred.

This latest claim to fame suggests the group may be on the rise again after a disruption earlier this year international authoritiesin which his leader, Dmitri Yuryevich Khoroshev, a Russian citizen, was arrested and charged by the U.S. Department of Justice. Alternatively, this ransomware attack could also represent one last hurray for the group before it is finally taken down. But even if LockBit is forced to close its doors permanently, its technology, which has been used in hundreds of successful attacks, can still be used by anyone who has it.

It remains unclear what type of ransom was involved and whether the city is willing to pay or deal with the consequences itself. The city is reportedly still investigating the attack and whether any information was actually stolen.