Cybersecurity incidents disrupt services in Kentucky, Ohio

All eight branches of the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office in Louisville, Kentucky, remain closed after a ransomware attack on Monday.

The clerk’s office, responsible for issuing vehicle and voter registrations, professional licenses and housing deeds, told Spectrum News 1, which first reported the cyberattack, its data appears not to have been compromised. Its website was inaccessible on Wednesday.

Jefferson County isn’t the only locality managing IT issues.

Columbus, Ohio, Mayor Andrew Ginther on Tuesday told WBNS that a cybersecurity incident last Thursday forced the technology department to disconnect the city’s network from the internet. Disrupted services include the city’s 911 system. Ginther said 911 and 311 dispatch centers are still “operational,” but have been forced to revert to paper processes.

Cybersecurity threats are on the rise against state and local governments. A January report from the Center for Internet Security, an Upstate New York nonprofit, found that malware attacks increased by 148% between 2022 and 2023, while ransomware incidents rose 51%.