During a recent government meeting, Tim Plute from the IT department addressed critical issues surrounding cybersecurity and data integrity. He began by discussing a recent global data outage that, while affecting only 1% of computers worldwide, highlighted the vast number of devices in use today. Plute noted that the majority of the impact was felt by large companies, and fortunately, his department reported no disruptions.

Plute also brought attention to recent cyber attacks that targeted Monroe and Clay Counties, which resulted in complete shutdowns of their systems. He emphasized the importance of staying informed about these incidents and the ongoing efforts by state Internet of Things (IoT) initiatives to bolster cybersecurity measures. He concluded with a reminder of the vulnerability posed by phishing attacks, stressing that a single malicious email could compromise security. The meeting underscored the need for vigilance and proactive measures to protect county systems from potential threats.