Jackson Township hit by digital security 'incident.' No personal data accessed

JACKSON TWP. ‒ The township government has been hit by an unspecified computer network "incident" that's been affecting the function of multiple systems.

Administrator and Law Director Mike Vaccaro said in a prepared statement Friday afternoon that officials are working with external cybersecurity experts to work through the problem. An investigation has also been launched into the matter, which has not resulted in any known access of unauthorized, personal or employee data.

"We will notify affected individuals if the investigation identifies evidence to the contrary," Vaccaro said via the statement. "Our goals right now are to make sure our network is secure, all devices are clean and to restore our full functionality of data."

Township officials declined to comment beyond Friday afternoon's statement, which did not elaborate on the type of incident or provide other details.

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer systems, networks and programs from digital attacks.

Primary township services, such as police, fire and emergency medical (EMS), have not been interrupted, and Jackson employees continue to work regular shifts and hours, Fiscal Officer Randy Gonzalez said earlier Friday.

Police Chief Mark Brink said officers have been answering emergency calls as normal and with no major hiccups.

However the Jackson Police Department is not able to receive and respond to non-emergency email messages, Vaccaro said. Residents with queries are asked to call the police non-emergency phone number, which is 330-834-3963. The non-emergency Fire Department line is 330-834-3953.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation would not confirm an investigation, citing that internal policy prohibits it.

The FBI offers assistance to those who fall victim to cyberattacks to help determine the source and if there is a continuing threat, Susan Licate, public affairs officer for the agency, said.

Victims can report the incident to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, so they can investigate, she added.

"The public should be assured that the FBI takes seriously cyber intrusions that could compromise national security," Licate said.

Municipalities can be prime targets for cyber attacks

The Ohio Township Association said townships are often targets for cyber attackers.

The organization said they provide educational opportunities for its membership about cyber security.

"We haven't seen a ton of data breaches but it is something we want all of our township to take an active role in before they become victims," said Nicole Jaros, the agency's director of communications.

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The threat of cyber attacks continues to worsen as more agencies move to cloud-based software.

"Not everything is done on paper anymore," she said. "As we move toward those systems they must be prepared and protected in case of an attack."

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Jackson Township, cyber experts work on computer network 'incident'