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County IT reports millions of blocked connections and a contained ransomware attempt
Summary
The county’s IT staff reported nearly 8.9 million blocked connection attempts in one seven‑day window, described a contained ransomware incident that was quarantined before system harm, and said the county is working with state cyber partners.
An IT representative told commissioners that county network defenses blocked 8,875,290 connection attempts over a recent seven‑day period and that one incoming ransomware incident was detected and quarantined before it affected systems.
"In the last 7 days, we had 8,875,290 blocked connections coming through," the IT presenter said, and added that the county identified and quarantined a ransomware threat that did not affect production systems.
Why it matters: the IT staff said the threat environment has become more aggressive and that attackers now sometimes demand multi‑million‑dollar ransoms. The presenter described how attackers have shifted tactics over time and how modern incidents can remain dormant and then trigger backups and systems when activated.
Defenses and partnerships: the IT presenter credited daily notifications and support from the state cybersecurity center (SIAC) and said outside vendors (Sysa) performed analysis and hardening work in prior years. The IT office said it maintains an open inventory of work orders (about 250 open) and is prioritizing critical tasks while also updating county websites and parcel and permitting applications.
Staffing and budget notes: the presenter reported 3,877 work orders completed in 2024 (about 320 per month) and an average of about 290 work orders per month so far in the current year. IT raised concerns about rising hardware costs (about $200 more per computer) and noted potential budget pressure to replace or delay equipment purchases.
Ending: IT staff said they will continue coordination with the state and outside vendors to harden systems and monitor incoming traffic; commissioners were briefed on current workloads and staffing pressures in the department.
