Vigo County government was hacked with a nasty virus that induced suspension of electronic mail and other internet interest — which include banking — for a few days remaining week.
Information Technology Director Jeremy Snowden briefed the county’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.
The virus infiltrated the county’s pc network via an email, Snowden stated.
“We see this every day,” he said. “However, the price at which it spread and the way terrible it hit us become quite unusual.”
Calling it a “the worst sort of virus,” Snowden said its sole motive is to steal economic records. The virus capitalized on a vulnerability that 129 of 489 county computer systems did no longer have a patch for, he stated.
Most of the affected gadgets were inside the courthouse as opposed to the county government center, or annex.
“We got in front of it, were able to patch it [and] got preserve of the organization we work with,” he stated. “They had been at the telephone with us for three days — 8, 10 hours a day. Luckily, we do now not see that any information … become misplaced, we did now not have any compromise, our backups have been in the vicinity (and) not anything seems to have been damaged.”
As a precaution, Snowden requested the county treasurer and auditor to cease internal banking pastime till he might be assured the scenario became under control.
“No banking establishments notified us that whatever passed off and … as of these days we will say that everything appears to be best and operating,” he said.
Because of the assault, a number of the county’s pc systems have been upgraded.
“We’re truly walking fail-safes that massive governments make use of,” Snowden stated.
A comparable virus shut down the whole government of Ukraine final August, and Vigo County prevented any such destiny, he stated.
Pat Ralson, vice chairman for authorities members of the family, business and economic development at First Financial Bank stated, “Financial institutions are constantly under attack by means of viruses. It’s simply an ongoing conflict and I’m the certain government’s the identical way … So ways we have been fortunate.”
Employee help
Commissioners on Tuesday also accredited a contract with Hamilton Center for an worker assistance application.
Newly-elected Commissioner Brendan Kearns proposed the pass and new Sheriff John Plasse said he changed into “shocked” lately whilst an employee wanted mental health counseling and no person in his workplace knew who to touch.
“There are human beings that cope with very worrying conditions which could want to put up incident counseling,” stated Kearns, previously a county councilman. “We had an exercising closing fall and one currently in which there have been employees that have been in want.”
Kearns stated he reached out to Hamilton Center and the ability agreed to offer up to 5 sessions at a cost to the county of $80 each to include assessment, man or woman remedy, and a remedy control consultation, if vital.
The settlement will cope with the county’s immediate need pending improvement of a comprehensive plan by way of Hamilton Center and/or the county’s medical health insurance company.
The service could be available to all 650 county personnel regardless of whether they may be protected by way of the county’s insurance.
“Before we’ve got taken care of our people but we did it simply in my view as wished,” said Commissioner Judy Anderson. “This would provide us coverage that would take care of these things.”
County Attorney Michael Wright stated a formal request for proposals isn’t always wished because professional offerings are worried.
New info in tax bills
Commissioners accepted contracts totaling $ forty-one,129 with Worrall Corp. Of Indianapolis to print and mail property tax payments for sixty-two,058 parcels this year.
The amount includes $1,473 to print facts about the county’s constructing allow necessities and fees on the back of every invoice.
Anderson stated the intention is to lessen the number of appeals concerning fines assessed for violating those requirements.
Tax bills are scheduled to exit in April with installment payments due in May and November.