CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)– Shortly after midnight this morning, Clay County’s IT department detected unauthorized activity affecting their systems. According to a press release from the Clay County Commissioners, they immediately initiated a comprehensive response.
The preliminary investigations suggest that the incident was a ransomware attack. The commissioners noted that they cannot access their data or electronically connect with some of the state partners they work with for many of their tasks.
Because of the cybersecurity incident, Clay County Courthouse offices and the Clay County Health Department closed at 2:00 PM today. They will remain closed on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. The Clay County Commissioners will reevaluate the situation tomorrow and decide on further closings by 2:00 PM. The County Highway Department, The Clay County Extension Office, and the WIC office remain open.
Anyone scheduled for a court appearance on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, or Wednesday, July 10, 2024, needs to call the court on Thursday, July 11, 2024, to receive instructions on rescheduling their appearance. The County Commissioners will give further instructions on Wednesday if the courthouse must remain closed on Thursday.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the County 9-1-1 Dispatch Center are in operation. An initial disruption occurred to the non-emergency lines, but they’re now fully operational. The 9-1-1 telephone system was never affected.
Here are what steps the county has taken so far to address the incidents.
– Isolated affected systems to contain the attack.
– Cybersecurity professionals are working to correct the disruption in services.
– Reported the incident to law enforcement and relevant government agencies.
According to the commissioners, they are currently assessing the extent of data exposure. There is no evidence that any personal data has been compromised. In a press release they stated they are committed to transparency and will notify all potentially impacted parties as they gather more information.
The investigation is ongoing, and they are working around the clock to restore all operations. The Clay County Commissioners will release further information regarding this attack as it becomes available.
According to the commissioners, they are deeply committed to the security of all data they hold.
WTWO is following this story and will update as soon as possible.
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