Sanxenxo is suffering the consequences of a large-scale ransomware operation

The Galician town of Sanxenxo experienced a chaotic week after a malware attack paralyzed its entire municipal digital infrastructure. This cybersecurity incident, which occurred in late January, blocked access to thousands of essential administrative files, rendering many services inoperable in this city of over 17,000 residents.

A Coordinated Digital Assault That Exposes Vulnerabilities

The attack launched on January 26 initially encrypted a large amount of sensitive data before the cybercriminals made their demands. According to information relayed by ChainCatcher, the hackers demanded a ransom of $5,000 in Bitcoin to restore access to the systems. The complete shutdown of municipal servers created a critical situation, disrupting essential services relied upon by the local population.

Sanxenxo Authorities’ Resolute Strategy

Faced with these extortion demands, Sanxenxo municipal leaders decided not to give in to the threats. After reporting the incident to the Spanish Civil Guard, local officials opted for a recovery approach through backups rather than negotiating with the attackers. This firm stance favors IT continuity protocols, with daily restorations implemented to gradually recover the compromised data.

This response from Sanxenxo illustrates how public administrations can strengthen their resilience against the growing threat of ransomware.