Did State Pay Ransom to DOR Hacker?

Senator Brad Hutto (D-Orangeburg) hand-delivered a letter to Gov. Nikki Haley Wednesday asking if a ransom had been paid to the "person or persons" responsible for the security breach last fall of the Department of Revenue database.

The letter is attached to this story.

Hutto explains his thinking in this interview that appeared on Fox Carolina today.

When asked about the letter Haley's spokesman Rob Godfrey said via email: "We continue to refer questions regarding the ongoing criminal investigation into the data theft to the United States Secret Service and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division."

SLED did not immediately respond to requests for information about a possible ransom.

Millions of social security numbers were stolen when hackers broke through the DOR's cybersecurity system.

Citizens affected by the hack were able to receive a free year of credit protection, costing the state millions. Department of Revenue head Jim Etter resigned in the wake of the hack.

A bi-partisan group including State Treasurer Curtis Loftis and Sen. Vincent Sheheen (D-Kershaw) — Haley's likely opponent for governor next year — called for the creation of a fund to assist those who suffered losses after their privacy was compromised.

To date, no one was been charged or accused with the hack and no group has taken responsibility.

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