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OFF BEAT: Sheriff blinks in showdown with cyber stick-up man

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A Tennessee sheriff’s department reportedly faced a virtual stick-up earlier this month from a cyber robber that charged the agency a ransom of nearly $600 in bitcoins.

Detectives from the Dickson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office told media outlets that a cyber thief installed malware on the department’s computers. The program blocked the agency from accessing 72,000 vital files, such as crime scene photos and witness statements.

The alleged extortionist, whose user name is “Nimrod Gruber,” reportedly demanded that the department pay $572 in bitcoins in order to unlock the files. The ransom was reportedly paid through Western Union by a sheriff’s department employee, who was later reimbursed by the Dickson County Commission.

Representatives from the department told media outlets that the “ransomware” made its way onto the agency’s computers while an employee was listening to a local radio station’s online live stream and clicked on an advertisement on the website.

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