Officials in Jackson County, Missouri, have announced a state of emergency and shut down important government offices for an unknown period of time. This decision comes as a response to a suspected ransomware attack that has disrupted several IT systems in the county.
On Tuesday, officials from Jackson County reported that they have noticed major issues in their IT systems, which they believe may be the result of a ransomware attack. They have observed that some parts of their digital infrastructure are not working properly, with some systems completely shut down while others are still functioning normally.
Several systems, such as tax and online property payments, issuance of marriage licenses, and inmate searches, have been confirmed as not working. As a result, the offices for Assessment, Collection, and Recorder of Deeds in all county locations are closed until further notice.
The shutdown happened on the day of a special election in the county to decide on a sales tax for a stadium for the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs. The attack did not impact the Jackson County Board of Elections or the Kansas City Board of Elections, as both are still operating as usual.
So far this year, 28 county, municipal, or tribal governments have been affected by ransomware attacks, as reported by security analyst Brett Callow from Emsisoft. In the previous year, there were 95 attacks, and in 2022, there were 106 attacks.
According to the Jackson County website, there are 654,000 people living in the 607-square-mile county, which covers a majority of Kansas City, the largest city in Missouri.
The investigation into the attack has recently started, but authorities have not found any evidence yet indicating that data was compromised.
At the moment, we are still in the initial phase of our diagnostic process, collaborating closely with our cybersecurity partners to thoroughly investigate all potential causes and determine the underlying reason for the issue. Although ransomware is being considered as a potential factor in the investigation, we are conducting thorough analyses to accurately determine the exact nature of the disruption.
Frank White Jr., the County Executive of Jackson County, has released an executive order announcing a state of emergency.
White stated that the financial consequences of this incident may necessitate using funds from the County’s emergency fund. If these funds are not enough, there may be a need for further budget adjustments or cuts. It is important for all county staff to take action to safeguard resident data, county assets, and maintain essential services to minimize the effects of a possible ransomware attack.
County officials announced on Facebook that they became aware of the attack on Tuesday morning.
The county has informed the police and hired IT security experts to assist in investigating and resolving the attack.
County officials acknowledge that the closures are affecting residents and express gratitude for the community’s patience and understanding. They promise to share more information as it becomes known.