Company Shuts Down Because of Ransomware, Leaves 300 Without Jobs Just Before Holidays

[DEAD7]

Company Shuts Down Because of Ransomware, Leaves 300 Without Jobs Just Before Holidays


Employees of Sherwood-based telemarketing firm The Heritage Company were notified of the decision just days before Christmas, via a letter sent by the company's CEO. Speaking with local media, employees said they had no idea the company had even suffered a ransomware attack, and the layoffs were unexpected, catching many off guard. "Unfortunately, approximately two months ago our Heritage servers were attacked by malicious software that basically 'held us hostage for ransom' and we were forced to pay the crooks to get the 'key' just to get our systems back up and running," wrote Sandra Franecke, the company's CEO, in the letter sent to employees. She goes on to say that data recovery efforts, initially estimated at one week, have not gone according to plan and the company had failed to recover full service by Christmas. Franecke said the company lost "hundreds of thousands of dollars" because of the incident and have been forced to "restructure different areas in the company." As a result of the botched ransomware recovery process, the company's leadership decided to suspend all services, leaving more than 300 employees without jobs.

 

[Objection]

Seems strange that they were hit with a ransomware attack and none of the employees knew about it. Were their systems not affected in telemarketing? That does suck for them to be laid off during the holidays. I wonder who was the person who click on a link I from a suspicious email.

 

[CrushedGroove]

I know IT can be expensive and isn't seen to add to the bottom line, but all businesses should at least conduct a monthly assessment and very least quarterly assessment to prevent or catch stuff like this.

 

[The Bilingual Gringo]

Should have had insurance

I don't feel sorry for people who can't see this coming to save a few bucks a year and not have the right coverage in place.

 

[GnauzBookOfRhymes]

LMAO at believing this. Mfers took the money and ran.

 

[Prince.Skeletor]

Seems strange that they were hit with a ransomware attack and none of the employees knew about it. Were their systems not affected in telemarketing? That does suck for them to be laid off during the holidays. I wonder who was the person who click on a link I from a suspicious email.

This entire post makes no sense LOL

 

[FaTaL]

Sounds like non sense

 

[newworldafro]

Sounds like a new excuse to begin selling underperforming companies.

 

[Dorian Breh]

Sounds like a new excuse to begin selling underperforming companies.

This is genius straight up

It's the new arson for insurance money

Just ransomware yourself

 

[Dr. Acula]

Sherwood-based telemarketing

Good riddance. Sorry for the employees, I hope they find a new job in a new field, but fukk telemarketers.

 

[Deflatedhoopdreams]

Money laundering

 

[Consigliere]

This has been crushing companies in the DC area without shutting them down.

Weird outcome to being ransomware attacked when there are multiple other recourses.

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

I know IT can be expensive and isn't seen to add to the bottom line, but all businesses should at least conduct a monthly assessment and very least quarterly assessment to prevent or catch stuff like this.

Threat actors having their way with you costs more than whatever a Security firm would cost to test the vulnerabilities of a company online. It sucks that people lost their jobs but that’s on the higher ups for not only not investing in the security but apparently even the backup files that could’ve made the ransomware attack a lot less impactful.

People gon learn this decade. Data is king.

 

[Julius Leisure]

The free market

 

[Isaiah Bradley]

...remember, the #1 solution for IT experts to solve ransom ware problems

Spoiler

pay the ransom. smh. Easy comeup for internal IT support and business owners wanting to close shop with a heavy bag