Jackson County Ransomware Attack Has Local Governments on High Alert

In the wake of a major ransomware cyber attack on Jackson County government computers, both Toccoa and Stephens County governments are working to make sure their systems are protected.

Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said he feels confident that the security software they have in place is doing its job.

“For several years now we have put ourselves in a position to be protected about that,” he said. “When we heard about the Jackson County incident we doubled back with our folks and we feel very comfortable about where we are and what we’re doing to protect our system.”

Morse would not elaborate on what that protection is, however, WNEG News has learned the City’s computer system is undergoing an upgrade.

County Manager Phyllis Ayers said the IT company the County has contracted with continues to work to keep their system safe.

Jack Quick with Quick Technologies contacted us immediately,” Ayers said. “And we at Stephens County have invested a lot of money in recent years in firewalls, and technologies and anti-virus software through Quick Technologies.”

Ayers said Quick is working on certain areas of the County software to ensure it is safe, but Ayers did not want to comment on what those areas are.

In the Jackson County ransomware attack earlier this month, hackers demanded $400,000 to free up their computers and allow employees to get back in.

County manager Kevin Poe told the Athens-Banner Herald they had to hire a cyber-security response consultant with experience in negotiating with hackers.

The consultant paid the hackers in bitcoin and Jackson County re-imbursed him, Poe said.

Poe said they opted to pay the ransomware because it would have cost as much if not more to purchase new software and rebuild their computer system.