Hello! Have you heard? The City of St. Joseph experienced a cyberattack somewhere in the recent past that impacted a lot of things, possibly even some personal information. Let me explain it simply.
That's what you can do:
• Monitor Your Accounts: Check your bank and credit card statements for unusual charges.
• Change Your Passwords: Change your passwords for all of your online accounts, and especially those tied to city services.
• Be Aware of Scams: If you receive an email or a call from someone asking for personal information, be careful! It may be an identity theft scam.
• Utilize Credit Monitoring: If the City is providing a credit monitoring service, please make use of it to watch your credit report.
At the end of the day, being vigilant and taking appropriate actions online supports online safety. Don't be a victim of a hacker!
So What Happened?
In early June the City's computer systems were attacked. At that time officials suggested there were "network issues." Later it was discovered it was actually a cyberattack and not an issue with the network.What Happened?
The attack may have resulted in exposing personal information from the City's departments including police, health, etc. It's not known that anyone has actually accessed any person's info but there is a possibility, so be smart.What The City Did
The City has spent over $1,000,000 on upgraded cybersecurity and new technology. This $1,000,000+ will protect the systems from further attacks and be safer for residents.What Residents Should Do
About 11,000 residents will receive a letter about this incident. The letter will explain what information may have been exposed, and provide advice to help citizens to protect themselves.That's what you can do:
• Monitor Your Accounts: Check your bank and credit card statements for unusual charges.
• Change Your Passwords: Change your passwords for all of your online accounts, and especially those tied to city services.
• Be Aware of Scams: If you receive an email or a call from someone asking for personal information, be careful! It may be an identity theft scam.
• Utilize Credit Monitoring: If the City is providing a credit monitoring service, please make use of it to watch your credit report.
Final Thoughts
Cyberattacks are occurring more often these days. The city is benfitting from lessons learned and strengthening its security, but residents need to be vigilant. If you receive a letter from the city, read the entire letter and use the instructions to help protect your personally identifiable information (PII).At the end of the day, being vigilant and taking appropriate actions online supports online safety. Don't be a victim of a hacker!
