‘Business as Usual’ in Suffolk While County Investigates Cyber Security Intrusion
All government services are operating while Suffolk County investigates a cyber security intrusion of its online systems, County Executive Steve Bellone said on Tuesday.
The cyber intrusion was discovered on Thursday, at which time the county temporarily shut down its email addresses and web applications, including its website, out of “an abundance of caution,” Bellone said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the systems were still offline. The county has, however, replaced the website with a temporary landing page that is serving as a directory of alternative email addresses to contact for each department. Critical emergency services, such as 911 and 311, have been fully operational throughout.
“We’re doing everything we can even in this challenging circumstance to keep it business as usual for residents,” Bellone said during a news conference on Tuesday. “Residents can still expect the same services that they rely on.”
Bellone noted that investigators in the county’s Department of Information Technology and outside cyber security experts detected malware in the system that “has the hallmarks of ransomware,” but the investigation is ongoing.
New York State Police troopers are assisting the Suffolk County Police Department to conduct “business as usual,” including fingerprinting and running data at traffic stops, among other tasks.
