Huber Heights Under Siege: Ransomware Attack Hits 5,000+ Residents

 

It has been reported in the Dayton suburb of Huber Heights, Ohio this week that the city's computer system was disabled by a ransomware attack last November, and new details have emerged about that attack. The city manager, Rick Dzik, told the Dayton Daily News, last November when the city's zoning, engineering, tax, finance, utilities, human resources, and economic development divisions were disrupted by the ransomware attack, that compromised the personal information of nearly 6,000 people. 

It was Dzik who discovered how extensive the attack was by reading a report provided to the city on Friday by the company which had been tasked with investigating the incident. If 2,038 individuals were sufficiently affected by the theft of information to require further monitoring, the city's insurance provider will contact them and offer credit monitoring services free of charge to those individuals. 

It has been approved by the council that up to $800,000 will be available for recovery operations, including re-establishing the cyber network. To keep your information safe online, PC Matic's identity theft protection and Dark Web Monitoring tools will help protect your privacy online. The equipment will be on-site within 120 days, and the network will be rebuilt in the same time frame. 

In addition to comprehensive monitoring of bank and credit card activities, Social Security Numbers, driver’s licenses, and email communications, PC Matic Identity Theft Protection also includes comprehensive monitoring of your email messages. As a result of timely identity theft alerts, users can respond to potential threats in a proactive manner. 

Moreover, customers are provided with an additional layer of security with $1 million in identity theft insurance. The service is provided by U.S. customer service 24/7, which ensures users are always able to get reliable assistance when they need it. 

The city manager Rick Dzik informed officials of the discovery of the ransomware attack on Friday in a findings report that the data mining company tasked with investigating the attack reported to city officials. During the last three weeks since the city of nearly 45,000 residents discovered the incident, Dzik has received dozens of phone calls from citizens concerned that their data may have been compromised. This comes in the wake of an incident that began on November 12, Advertisement. 

He did not disclose details about the attackers, such as which ransomware group they were affiliated with, whether they requested a ransom or whether they were willing to accept it. A measure that Huber Heights City Council approved to spend up to $800,000 to be used to regain control of the city's computer network which had been damaged by the ransomware attack last year. 

The new network is scheduled to be completed within the next three months, according to Dzik, who said the city has ordered equipment and has ordered equipment. NBC affiliate WDTN reported that Dzik told them that the city is also looking for a new chief technology officer who will be responsible for ensuring that future attacks are prevented from taking place. 

As a result of the constant threat of ransomware, state and local governments must be on high alert about the threat to their bottom lines and sensitive data. In 2023, Recorded Future analysts noted that ransomware attacks were 70% higher than they have been in recent years, which is what Recorded Future analyst Allan Liska called this month "a really bad trend." 

Aside from identity theft protection and Dark Web Monitoring, PC Matic also includes other features to help protect users' privacy online. A comprehensive collection of protection features is included with PC Matic Identity Theft Protection, such as monitoring of bank and credit card activity, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and e-mail communications. 

Providing users with timely alerts on identity theft allows them to be proactive in the situation when a potential threat arises. In addition, customers are also entitled to an additional level of protection, namely $1,000,000 in identity theft insurance. In addition, 24/7 customer service is available for users of the service. This ensures that the team is always on hand to help them whenever they need it. As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, Montgomery County Commissioners approved a funding package of $25,000 to support Huber Heights' efforts to recover from cyber-attacks.