La Laguna attackers demand five million dollars in bitcoin, according to municipal sources

The perpetrators of the cyberattack that San Cristóbal de La Laguna City Council, in Tenerife, has been suffering since Monday have demanded a ransom of five million dollars in bitcoin, according to City Council sources consulted by Atlántico Hoy. The outlet does not identify the person who gave the figure.

The head of Information Systems Security for the municipality, Daniel McNamara Lima, told Atlántico Hoy that the virtualization infrastructure has already been recovered, but that the systems will not return to production until it has been verified that the attack is “completely neutralized.” According to municipal sources, the issuing of travel certificates is working again and in-person service continues, with limitations.

The City Council had already extended all ongoing administrative deadlines until the incident is resolved, according to the same outlet.

No information has been given on whether the City Council will negotiate or pay, which group is behind the attack or whether residents' data has been compromised.

Developing story: the ransom figure comes only from anonymous municipal sources cited by a single outlet; it has yet to be officially confirmed by the City Council or reported by another independent source.