The computer systems of tens of local administrations in Italy have fallen to a “ransomware” computer virus that encrypts stored files and requests payment in Bitcoin for the decryption keys. The ransom is 400 Euros, and it doubles after three days.

 

Administration officers at Bussoleno, a small town in Northern Italy, could only recover important files by acquiring Bitcoin and paying the ransom. According to a story posted to Reddit, this is the first time a nation state is forced to acquire Bitcoin.

That is not entirely true, since the officers used their own money to buy bitcoins and pay – or perhaps they used bitcoins that they already had – and now they are thinking of how to justify the expense and claim a reimbursement. But the episode was certainly a shocking introduction and a “Bitcoin 101″ course for the Italian administration, and perhaps something good will come out. Maria Grazia Mazzolari, Bussoleno’s Secretary, said

The officers were shocked by finding out that there is no way to trace a Bitcoin address back to its owner. The IT consulting firm Digital Forensics Bureau (Di.Fo.B) could only discover that the criminals collected more than 100,000 dollars in five days.

 

source:https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/computer-virus-wreaks-havoc-italian-administrations-ransom-paid-bitcoin/