- On Oct. 28, the Chatham County Management and Information System was attacked by DoppelPaymer, a ransomware linked to several high-profile cyber attacks last year. The operators of the ransomware typically threaten to block access to data or leak the information publicly in exchange for money.
- That threat became a reality Feb. 8 when the personal information of county employees and others was published by the operators of the ransomware.
- The county is continuing its efforts to rebuild its computer system, a news release stated. As a result of the October attack, the county lost access to its internet, computers and office phones.
- In the immediate aftermath, staff borrowed laptops from other counties and towns to keep the local government operating.
- As part of the recovery efforts, Chatham County is beefing up its security. Staff are evaluating and implementing additional security measures and emphasizing employee training, the release stated. The county also updated its software.
– Jasmine Gallup | February 16, 2021
