CHENANGO – A week ago a cyber attack left about half the computers operated by Chenango County held ransom by hackers, who are demanding officials pay them $90,000 to release the files.
“Over the weekend we were hit by ransomware. We are not paying the ransom,” Chenango County Director of Information Technology Herman Ericksen said.
The board of elections warned people Thursday that any absentee ballot application sent by email since Oct. 15, may not be processed due to the cyber attack.
“There has been an incident in Chenango County affecting county systems, including the board of elections, the board has redundancies in place that will allow the secure and effective administration of the general election,” said the Board of Elections in a statement. “However anyone who has submitted an absentee ballot application by email or fax since Thursday, October 15, should contact the Chenango County Board of Elections immediately at 607 337-1764 to verify receipt of the application.”
“The only hiccup is the email, we’ve had excellent support from state,” said Chenango County Republican Commissioner of Elections Mary Lou A. Monahan. “We are doing everything by fax now, it’s more paper work.”
Officials were informed Sunday, Oct. 18, than an attacked had happened and a number county employees coming to work on the following Monday found their computers locked.
He said the county was working with Homeland Security and the New York State Police. The affected computers have been encrypted by the malware and will have to be wiped and all the software reinstalled.
The attack focused on the county’s email and was likely compromised by a remote login, which are heavily used by remote workers during the COVID lockdown, but can present additional security challenges, said Ericksen.
Ericksen, who has been working in the county’s technology department since 1986 said the attack was a first of its kind.
“Ransomware, it encrypts your files and asks for a ransom be paid to unlock them,” said Ericksen. He said the program requested $450 for each infected machine. He estimated the county operated about 400 computers and at least 200 of them are impacted.
The Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Social Services were minimally effected but other departments have had to resort to paper backs-ups at a time when remote communication has been amplified by the demands of the pandemic, leading to some delays and warnings of delays.
Chenango County Clerk Mary Weidman said the attack didn’t effect the county’s department of motor vehicle, and the drop off or appointment options are still available to anyone who needs them.
“Ransomware is becoming a real big in a lot of places,” said Ericksen.
He said the county would move its email to a new system, and use other back-up plans while officials worked to restore the computers.
It it not known if the attack has ended or is ongoing.
Ericksen said he had no estimate on how long it would take to repair everything or how much the incident might cost the county in the end. He said officials were currently focused on rehabilitating any effected county services as fast as possible.