Matagorda County in Texas confirmed a cybersecurity breach last Friday, which affected several internal systems. The breach led to the issuance of a disaster declaration by Matagorda County Judge Bobby Seiferman. This declaration was made in response to a virus that disrupted the county’s internal operations, prompting the county to activate its emergency operations center at level 3. The virus appears to have been contained to the county’s internal systems, and local authorities, along with cybersecurity experts, are working to secure the systems and ensure the protection of sensitive information.
The breach, which occurred early on Friday morning, caused disruptions across various departments, although emergency services were unaffected. The county’s officials are cooperating with state and federal agencies, including the Texas Department of Emergency Management, the Department of Public Safety Cybersecurity Division, and the FBI, in the investigation and response to the incident. The authorities are investigating the cause of the disruption, but no group has claimed responsibility for the cyberattack so far.
In the wake of the attack, officials have made progress in restoring some of the county’s online services.
Temporary solutions have been implemented, such as placing drop boxes near the county tax office for residents to submit tax payments due at the end of January. Despite these efforts, in-person transactions at government offices have been halted, and residents are instructed to mail in payments or use the available drop boxes. The county’s goal is to ensure that the attack does not further disrupt essential services.
The ongoing investigation aims to determine the cause and full extent of the breach. Authorities have yet to disclose the nature of the unauthorized access point responsible for the attack. As the investigation continues, the county remains committed to restoring full operations and providing updates to the public on their progress. While the breach has caused significant disruption, emergency services have remained operational, allowing the county to continue providing essential services to its residents.
Reference:
