Cowlitz County officials are on high alert following a significant increase in suspicious cyber activity detected within the county's network. During a recent meeting, IT Director Travis Huschini reported a troubling trend that began approximately two months ago, escalating from a few irregular incidents to tens of thousands of suspicious network flows being recorded daily.

The alarming spike in activity, which was first identified by network monitoring devices, raised concerns about potential threats from both nation-state actors and cybercriminals. Huschini explained that the suspicious traffic was originating from numerous devices within the county's network, complicating efforts to pinpoint a specific source. Despite the widespread nature of the activity, he noted that there has been no significant impact on the network thus far.

The county's IT team has been working diligently to investigate the situation, implementing enhanced monitoring and alerting systems to better track the suspicious activity. Huschini emphasized the importance of a proactive approach, likening their efforts to firefighting, aiming to contain and remediate the threat before it escalates further.

As the investigation continues, officials remain vigilant, aware that the nature of cyber threats can evolve rapidly. The county is committed to safeguarding its network and ensuring the security of its data and systems. Moving forward, the IT department will keep the commissioners updated on developments and any necessary actions to mitigate the risks posed by these cyber threats.