KSHB 41 Kansas City has reported a potential ransomware attack on Tuesday has left certain Jackson County systems crippled, with preliminary investigations pointing to a malicious email link as the likely cause, according to a spokesperson’s statement on Thursday.
The incident, which was first reported on Tuesday morning, has severely impacted the county’s tax payment, online property, marriage license, and inmate systems.
“The incident likely originated from a malicious email link, resulting in the compromise of a device within our network,” stated the spokesperson. “This breach facilitated unauthorized access by the ransomware variant to limited sections of our network.”
In response to the attack, Jackson County Executive Frank White declared a state of emergency as a proactive measure.
Fortunately, the county’s election systems, operational during Tuesday’s election, remained unaffected.
An update was sent out on Wednesday to myJacksonCounty users, assuring them that no consumer data had been compromised despite the attack.
As a precautionary measure, the Assessment, Collection, and Recorder of Deeds offices will remain closed for the remainder of the week, as announced by the county on Wednesday.
Although the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office remains open, access to email is available, while other computer and telephone systems may experience limitations, potentially leading to delayed responses.
Looking ahead, the county intends to prioritise the implementation of robust security measures to safeguard against future threats.
Resources:
[Executive Order No. 24-07]
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