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Outfaze Security Team

Outfaze Security Team

Costa Rica and Conti: Ransomware Crisis Lessons

Costa Rica and Conti: Ransomware Crisis Lessons

Conti ransomware attacks against Costa Rican government systems in 2022 disrupted public services and escalated into a national crisis. The event showed that ransomware can affect revenue collection, trade, citizen services, and trust well beyond the systems first encrypted.

CISA and partner guidance on Conti described data theft, workstation and server encryption, and hundreds of observed attacks. The enduring lesson is to manage ransomware as an enterprise crisis, not an isolated IT recovery ticket.

Public-service dependencies widened the impact

Government processes connected agencies, suppliers, customs, finance, and citizens. Disruption in one shared service created manual work, delays, and coordination needs elsewhere.

Attackers also used public pressure and data exposure as leverage. Decision-makers needed technical facts, legal and communications advice, service priorities, and a consistent incident command structure.

Build crisis capacity before encryption

Segment critical systems and administration, harden remote access and identity, patch exploited vulnerabilities, and monitor the behaviors that precede ransomware. Maintain offline recovery assets and minimum viable procedures for essential services.

Tabletops should include multiple agencies or business units, leaked data, unreliable communications, and prolonged recovery. Record who can prioritize services, authorize containment, communicate publicly, and request outside assistance.

  • Connect technical recovery to essential-service priorities.
  • Prepare alternate communications.
  • Preserve evidence while restoring operations.
  • Coordinate privacy, legal, finance, and public messaging.

Put the lesson into practice

  1. Identify essential services and shared dependencies.
  2. Test segmentation and privileged-access boundaries.
  3. Validate protected backups and clean rebuild procedures.
  4. Create cross-functional incident command roles.
  5. Exercise a prolonged ransomware and data-extortion scenario.

Related Outfaze guidance

Authoritative sources