Ransomware attack shuts down St Louis library computer systems

In the US, a ransomware attack has shut down borrowing services at libraries in St Louis, Missouri, with 700 computers across 16 libraries infected, reports the Guardian.

Hackers are demanding US$35,000 (A$46,280) worth of bitcoins to restore the system, which the library authority has refused to pay.

The library authority has said it will wipe the entire computer system and rebuild it from scratch. It has since managed to regain control of its servers, although computers and borrowing services are still not open to the public.

The system is believed to have been infected through a centralised computer server, and staff emails have also been frozen by the virus. The FBI has been called in to investigate.

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