Alabama state government websites encountered a denial of service attack on Tuesday afternoon, as announced by Gov. Kay Ivey’s office. However, the office clarified that there was no breach of security, and state computers and information remained inaccessible to the attackers. The Alabama Office of Information Technology (OIT) is actively collaborating with the state’s carrier to mitigate the attack, which may result in temporary slowdowns on some state websites.
While specific state agencies affected by the attack were not disclosed by the governor’s office, Jeremy Ward, the director of communications for OIT, acknowledged the ongoing nature of the issue. He explained that the investigation and resolution process is still underway, preventing the provision of exact details regarding the impacted state functionalities. Initially widespread disruptions across state services have gradually diminished throughout the day as collaborative efforts with vendors aim to counter the denial of service attack.
The incident underscores the vulnerability of government websites to cyber threats and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. Despite the lack of unauthorized access to sensitive state information, the disruption caused by the attack highlights the potential risks associated with such incidents. As the investigation continues and mitigation efforts progress, stakeholders remain vigilant in safeguarding Alabama’s digital infrastructure against future cyber threats.
