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Resident attorney urges clearer county communication after Winona County ransomware attack; staff say recovery ongoing
Summary
An attorney told the board that closings have been delayed and that the county has not provided sufficient guidance since announcing a Jan. 26 ransomware press release; county staff said systems are being rebuilt and a closed-session briefing with MCIT counsel and cyber contractors will be scheduled.
During public comment Steven Batsian, an attorney who said he practices real-estate law in Winona County, told the board that the county's ransomware incident has disrupted property closings and left attorneys and title companies without clear guidance. "We are just kind of working in a vacuum right now trying to see if there can be a workaround... we would like some kind of idea what's being done and what kind of timetable we are looking at," Batsian said.
County staff responded in the meeting's discussion that they are rebuilding systems and recovering what information can be salvaged, but that the county cannot provide a firm timeline while a criminal investigation is ongoing. A staff member told commissioners the county plans a closed session with the county board, the MCIT attorney and representatives assisting in recovery to get more detailed briefings and to prepare communications once key staff (including the auditor/treasurer) are available.
What was asked: Batsian and other local attorneys sought interim procedures for recording documents and performing property searches while electronic systems are unavailable. Commissioners asked whether a paper-based fallback or a short guidance memo that could be distributed to attorneys and title companies could be prepared quickly.
What the county said: Staff said a temporary paper workflow is possible but imperfect and will create extra work; they committed to drafting guidance and to coordinating with the auditor/treasurer once that official returns. County staff also said earlier firm statements were limited by an ongoing criminal investigation and that communications will increase as staff and the county's cyber consultants determine the recoverable data and timeline.
Next steps: Staff said they will schedule a closed-session briefing for commissioners with MCIT counsel and cyber-response representatives and will coordinate written guidance for local real-estate professionals and title firms once procedures are finalized.
