Costa Rica’s RECOPE Seeks US Cybersecurity Help After Ransomware Attack

Costa Rica’s state-owned energy company, RECOPE, has called in US cybersecurity experts following a ransomware attack last week that disrupted its digital systems. RECOPE, responsible for importing, refining, and distributing fuel across the country, had to resort to manual operations to continue selling fuel after the cyberattack targeted its payment systems.

The incident, discovered on Wednesday morning, forced RECOPE to extend operations at its tanker terminals late into the night, and by Thursday, the company was still manually handling transactions. Despite the setback, RECOPE reassured the public that there were no fuel shortages and operations continued smoothly. A total of 203 trucks were filled with fuel as part of the ongoing response.

On Friday, Karla Montero, RECOPE’s president, confirmed the arrival of US cybersecurity experts, who have been working to restore the company’s systems. However, she noted that RECOPE would continue manual operations until all systems are fully secure. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology, and Telecommunications (MICITT) has been assisting with the recovery, and it has confirmed that fuel supply remains unaffected.

This attack comes on the heels of a series of cyber incidents in Costa Rica, including a major attack last year by the Conti ransomware group, which paralysed government services and prompted a state of emergency. Costa Rica’s collaboration with US officials, who provided financial and technical support, marked a significant moment in the global fight against cybercrime.