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Computers - December 17, 2023

Nasty virus hit Vigo County’s computers

Nasty virus hit Vigo County's computers 1

Vigo County authorities become hacked with an unpleasant virus that brought about the suspension of electronic mail and another internet hobby — which includes banking — for a few days last week.

Information Technology Director Jeremy Snowden briefed the county’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.

The virus infiltrated the county’s computer community through an electronic mail, Snowden said.

“We see this each day,” he stated. “However, the rate at which it unfolds and how horrific it hit us turned into quite unusual.”

Calling it a “the worst kind of virus,” Snowden said its sole motive is to thieve economic records. The virus capitalized on a vulnerability that 129 of 489 county computers did no longer have a patch for, he stated.

Most of the affected gadgets were inside the courthouse instead of the county authorities middle, or annex.

“We got in front of it, were able to patch it [and] got preserve of the enterprise we work with,” he stated. “They had been on the cellphone with us for 3 days — 8, 10 hours a day. Luckily, we do no longer see that any facts … turned into misplaced, we did no longer have any compromise, our backups were in location (and) nothing appears to had been broken.”

As a precaution, Snowden requested the county treasurer and auditor to give up internal banking interest till he could be assured the scenario become beneath manipulate.

“No banking establishments notified us that something took place and … as of these days we will say that the entirety seems to be best and running,” he said.

Because of the attack, some of the county’s computer structures had been upgraded.

“We’re genuinely running fail-safes that massive governments utilize,” Snowden stated.

A comparable virus close down the complete government of Ukraine final August, and Vigo County avoided this kind of destiny, he stated.

Pat Ralson, vice chairman for government relations, business, and economic improvement at First Financial Bank stated, “Financial institutions are continuously under assault through viruses. It’s simply an ongoing struggle and I’m sure government’s identical manner … So ways we have been lucky.”

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Employee assistance

Commissioners on Tuesday also authorized an agreement with Hamilton Center for an employee assistance application.

Newly-elected Commissioner Brendan Kearns proposed the circulate and new Sheriff John Plasse said he turned into “taken aback” lately whilst an employee needed intellectual health counseling and no person in his workplace knew who to contact.

“There are people that address very annoying conditions that can need post-incident counseling,” stated Kearns, formerly a county councilman. “We had an exercise final fall and one lately wherein there have been employees that were in want.”

Kearns stated he reached out to Hamilton Center and the ability agreed to provide up to five periods at a fee to the county of $80 each to include assessment, character remedy, and a medication control consultation, if vital.

The agreement will cope with the county’s immediately want pending development of a comprehensive plan via Hamilton Center and/or the county’s medical health insurance issuer.

The service might be available to all 650 county personnel irrespective of whether they may be blanketed through the county’s insurance.

“Before we’ve got taken care of our humans but we did it just for my part as needed,” said Commissioner Judy Anderson. “This might supply us a policy that would cope with these items.”

County Attorney Michael Wright stated a formal request for proposals isn’t always needed due to the fact expert offerings are worried.

New data in tax bills

Commissioners accepted contracts totaling $41,129 with Worrall Corp. Of Indianapolis to print and mail property tax bills for 62,058 parcels this yr.

The quantity consists of $1,473 to print records about the county’s constructing permit necessities and fees on the back of each bill.

Anderson said the goal is to reduce the range of appeals regarding fines assessed for violating the one’s requirements.

Tax bills are scheduled to go out in April with installment bills due in May and November.

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