Forsyth County Government announced Friday it recently discovered and stopped a suspected ransomware attack on the county's computer network.
According to a press release from the county, notice letters were mailed on June 6 to those impacted by the suspected attack, in which an unauthorized third party accessed some of the network.
The letter was provided to inform those that could be impacted by the incident, to provide complimentary identity monitoring services and suggest ways that individuals can protect their information.
The county said it immediately launched an investigation to determine the scope of the unauthorized activity with assistance from federal law enforcement and a nationally recognized digital forensics firm.
“The impact of this suspected ransomware attack was mitigated thanks to the steps the County has in place,” said County Manager David McKee. “Our digital security professionals identified the suspected attack much quicker than many attacks are detected and worked immediately on a response as they worked with partner agencies.”
The investigation determined certain files were removed from a county server during the attempted cyberattack. An extensive review of the files was made to determine what information was involved and to determine who may have been impacted. The review was completed on May 9, and contact information for affected individuals was then sought to provide the notice.
