Gilmer County government offices are working through a ransomware attack which hit their computer system last week.
“We’re making progress,” County Chair Charlie Paris said. “For the most part, we are able to do business.”
He said some departments like finance and the sheriff’s office are still working through issues. Other departments such as planning and zoning, the road department, the animal shelter and the tax commissioner are doing business.
How the ransomware entered the system is still up for determination.
Paris said he has no time line for resolution.
“I’d just be stabbing in the dark to give you any kind of figure,” he said.
Fulton County was involved in a ransomware attack earlier this year.
“Ransomware is a form of malware designed to encrypt files on a device, rendering any files and the systems that rely on them unusable. Malicious actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption,” according to the website of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, which is a division of the Department of Homeland Security.
Paris released the following statement immediately following the attack.
“Gilmer County recently discovered a ransomware attack on our computer network. As soon as we learned this, we began working to investigate and determine the effects of the incident.
“We also are working with nationally recognized third-party cybersecurity and data forensics consultants to assist us.
“We alerted federal law enforcement and are cooperating with their investigation. The county is working very closely with its consultants in order to understand the scope of the incident.
“Because the county took its network offline to contain the attack, many systems remain down as we develop plans to continue providing services securely to the public. However, all of our essential services, including 911, continue to operate.
“The safety and security of our residents and our employees remains our top priority. We are working around the clock through this cyber incident and ask for your patience as we implement business continuity measures.
“We are grateful to have some of the industry’s top experts helping guide our response. Together, we will fully recover from this event and move forward as a stronger and smarter county.
“We will keep you informed when we have further updates.”