Have you ever experienced something negative happen to you, and then has that same thing happen again? That is what is happening to West Chester Township, Ohio. They are now experiencing their second cyber attack in one month.
Yet on August 26, the system was signaling odd activity once again. In other words, hackers were trying a second time.
The good news is, if there can be any good news, is that to date there is no evidence of stolen confidential information.
• Turned off some of the system to be safe
• Contacted the FBI to get assistance
• Brought in cybersecurity experts to investigate
• Began a comprehensive audit of systems
Clearly hackers are targeting the broader area.
There is a big lesson in this: no one is too small to be attacked on-line. Small towns also deserve to have strong cyber security.
What Happened the First Time?
On August 12, hackers attempted to breach the township's email system. It was quickly discovered and stopped by officials. They believed it was safe.Yet on August 26, the system was signaling odd activity once again. In other words, hackers were trying a second time.
The good news is, if there can be any good news, is that to date there is no evidence of stolen confidential information.
Why Are Hackers Taking These Actions?
Local governments are appealing targets because the computer systems they use are sometimes old and poorly protected. Hackers are hoping to either steal data, or make the municipality pay a ransom for access.How Are The Officials Responding?
The township did not consciously ignore this. They:• Turned off some of the system to be safe
• Contacted the FBI to get assistance
• Brought in cybersecurity experts to investigate
• Began a comprehensive audit of systems
Who Did it?
A hacker group called PEAR claimed responsibility for the first attack and said they stole 2 terabytes of data (which is a lot). Authorities have yet to confirm the accuracy of PEAR's claim. No group has taken responsibility for the second attack at this time.Other Due Places
It wasn't only West Chester Township. Other localities, including Middletown and Liberty Township were also the victim of cyberattacks in the same month. Middletown even went on to temporarily shut down its website and emails.Clearly hackers are targeting the broader area.
The Big Picture
West Chester is now 2 cyber attacks in 2 weeks. The town is working with experts and with the FBI to address the incident and to prevent further damage.There is a big lesson in this: no one is too small to be attacked on-line. Small towns also deserve to have strong cyber security.
