A significant ransomware attack has disrupted operations in Wood County, Ohio, causing emergency services to rely on pen and paper for their work. The attack, discovered on December 9, 2024, targeted the county’s computer-aided dispatch system, affecting several public safety departments, including emergency dispatchers, jails, and the Bowling Green Police Division. Despite the disruption, emergency services such as 911 remain functional, but county officials have faced challenges in accessing the necessary records management system, which is critical for efficient operations.
In response to the attack, Wood County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Klein confirmed that while the county’s services continue, the staff’s internal operations are significantly impacted. The use of pen and paper for emergency dispatch has slowed down the process, but Klein emphasized that long-term employees have adapted to the situation, having previously worked without the digital systems. While this shift may seem cumbersome, Klein reassured the public that emergency services for the county’s population of approximately 130,000 remain unaffected.
The cyberattack was first detected by the Wood County Information Technology Department, which received alerts from the county’s network firewall about suspicious activity early on Monday. The department has since been working with the FBI and third-party cybersecurity consultants to investigate and mitigate the damage caused by the attack. The team is currently testing the system to understand the extent of the breach and to identify any vulnerabilities that may have been exploited.
Although the county’s emergency operations are temporarily impacted, the situation underscores the growing vulnerabilities of local government systems to cyber threats. It highlights the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for public safety departments, especially as technology plays a pivotal role in day-to-day operations. As Wood County works with cybersecurity experts to address the attack, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for continuous vigilance and improvement in securing critical infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.
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