COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — The City of Columbus is now facing a class-action lawsuit Friday over its handling of the Rhysida ransomware attack.
Prepared by law firms Cooper Elliott and Meyer Wilson, it invites every employee with the city, as well as the Franklin County Municipal Court judges and clerk’s offices, to participate. But at the forefront are two Columbus police officers only referred to as “John Does #1 and #2.”
In his most recent comments about the ransomware attack, Mayor Andrew Ginther challenged the danger of the stolen data. He said the fact no buyers have surfaced for it shows it “lacks value to those who would seek to do harm or profit from it.” But attorneys for the two officers wrote that the former has already suffered damage, while the latter — an undercover cop — now risks having his cover blown.
“Plaintiff John Doe #1 has received two notifications, one from his bank and one from his credit card provider, that his social security number has been compromised and was found on the dark web,” attorneys wrote in a complaint. “(John Doe #2) has a well-founded fear that, should his identity as a police officer come to light, not only will ongoing criminal investigations be jeopardized, but his life is in clear and present danger.”