Public Sector Breach Alert: Q3 2024

The public sector has faced a surge of cyber attacks in recent months, targeting state agencies, schools and local governments, severely affecting operations. Several recently released cyber industry reports show a steady or growing number of ransomware attacks so far in 2024. The examples below are just some of the cyber attacks against public sector organizations this past summer.

State agencies

Here are recent breaches that affected state agencies in Q3.

New Mexico Public Defender’s Office (June 2024)

A cybersecurity breach hit New Mexico’s Law Offices of the Public Defender, which severely disrupted the office’s ability to access critical internal records and communicate with clients and court partners. The attack also disabled the office’s email system, delaying legal proceedings across the state.

Florida Department of Health (July 2024)

The Florida Department of Health experienced a significant ransomware attack orchestrated by the RansomHub group. The attackers stole 100 GB of data, including sensitive personal and health information, such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers and medical records. This data was published after the department did not meet the ransom demands, as Florida’s policy prohibits state entities from paying ransoms. The attack disrupted crucial services, including the Vital Statistics system, which handles birth and death certificates.

Higher education

Here are some examples of ransomware attacks in higher education.

Southwest Tennessee Community College (July 2024)

A ransomware attack disrupted classes and registration processes at a community college near Memphis, with IT systems and academic resources going down for weeks. The attack severely impacted IT systems, delaying the start of Summer II Term classes. The college extended registration deadlines, but many students and employees were unable to access their Outlook email accounts for several days.

Northwest Arkansas Community College (July 2024)

In this community college incident, hackers sent ransom notes through campus printers, threatening to release sensitive data. The college shut down its network, including email and student learning systems. This incident delayed fall registration, payment deadlines and the start of fall classes.

Municipal

Below are just a few examples of the dozens of cyber attacks against cities and counties across the U.S. over the last three months. 

Jefferson County, Kentucky (July 2024)

All eight branches of the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office in Louisville, Kentucky closed for six days in July after a ransomware attack. The attack caused widespread system outages, affecting services such as vehicle registrations, marriage and notary licenses, voter registrations and housing deeds. The breach prompted concerns over voter privacy and potential phishing attacks.

Clay County, Indiana (July 2024)

Clay County was targeted by a ransomware attack that caused significant disruption, with several county services and systems impacted, including those at its courthouse and health department. County officials filed a local disaster declaration two days after the cyber attack. The declaration permitted the county to redirect financial resources to departments affected by the incident and accelerate the restoration process.

Monroe County, Indiana (July 2024)

Another county in Indiana was hit by a ransomware attack carried out by BlackSuit, a known ransomware group. The attack caused significant disruptions, leading to a week-long shutdown of most county government offices, including local courts. BlackSuit encrypted the county’s servers, and though the full scope of the data breach is still under investigation, officials are concerned about potential access to personal information, such as residents’ Social Security numbers and financial data. 

City of North Miami, Florida (August 2024)

The City of North Miami experienced a cyber attack in August, which led to the closure of City Hall for almost a week. While some services resumed quickly, online utility payments and computerized police systems were down for several days, forcing manual operations. Personal information of city officials, including Mayor Alix Desulme, was also compromised. 

Port of Seattle/Sea-Tac Airport (August 2024)

The Port of Seattle, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), was hit by a cyber attack in August, leading to outages affecting the airport’s web-based systems. The cyber attack disrupted operations at Sea-Tac, including flight information displays and systems tied to international and domestic airlines. Airlines like Frontier had to resort to manual processes for baggage handling, causing delays and complications for passengers.

K-12

K-12 education is extremely vulnerable to cyber attacks. Here are a couple of recent incidents.

Troy Area School District (July 2024)

Troy Area School District in Pennsylvania experienced a significant data breach, leading to concerns about student privacy and the security of their systems. As a result, the district began the new school year without the use of devices such as Chromebooks, which are typically integral to student learning. The breach led to compromised IT services and delayed the restoration of normal operations, including device access for students. 

Ohio School Boards Association (August 2024)

The Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) was targeted by a ransomware attack just before the start of the new school year, severely disrupting its operations. The attack forced OSBA to disconnect its network from the internet to prevent further damage. The organization’s email and website were down for over a week, which impacted crucial services that support Ohio’s 700 school boards, such as leadership training, legal support and policy advocacy.

Stop ransomware in its tracks with Keeper Security Government Cloud

These cyber attacks highlight the increasing frequency and severity of ransomware targeting public institutions, which cause significant operational disruptions and compromise sensitive data. Human error accounts for 68% of data breaches — often due to weak or compromised passwords, credentials and secrets. Keeper Security Government Cloud (KSGC) offers a powerful solution to these growing threats by protecting organizations of all sizes against ransomware and other cyber attacks.

KSGC is FedRAMP and StateRAMP Authorized, and leverages cutting-edge zero-trust and zero-knowledge security architecture, combined with delegated administration and role-based enforcement policies. This gives system administrators the ability to maintain full visibility and control over identity security, reducing risks and safeguarding sensitive data.

Ready to strengthen your organization’s defense? Request a demo today to discover how KSGC can keep your systems secure.