Albemarle County Faces Ransomware Attack, Awards Climate Grants

Albemarle County Ransomware Attack

Phone and technology outages in Albemarle County were confirmed to be the result of a ransomware attack last month. Officials reported that hackers likely accessed sensitive data of local government and public school employees, including driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, passport numbers, and military IDs. Approximately 112,000 residents may have had their names, addresses, and Social Security numbers exposed.

The attack was investigated by the FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Cyber Fusion Center of the Virginia State Police. The county is offering one year of free identity protection services to all residents and employees affected by the breach. Phone service was restored after two weeks of disruptions, although non-emergency phone lines were affected. The investigation is ongoing, and no cybercriminal group has claimed responsibility as of now.

For more information, visit the Albemarle County official site and updates on the incident can be found on Facebook.

Gloucester County Ransomware Attack

Gloucester County, Virginia, experienced a ransomware attack on April 22, which compromised the personal information of over 3,500 current and former employees. The stolen data includes Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account information, health insurance numbers, and medical information.

County Administrator Carol Steele confirmed that they engaged cybersecurity experts for recovery efforts and notified the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Division. The county's communications about the attack included warnings about network disruptions but lacked follow-up updates. Notably, the BlackSuit ransomware gang claimed responsibility for the attack and indicated that the county refused to negotiate a ransom.

For further details, see the Gloucester County cyber incident report and updates on their official Facebook page.

Albemarle Community Climate Action Grants

Albemarle County has awarded $100,000 in Community Climate Action grants to support local nonprofits in implementing aspects of its Climate Action Plan. Five projects received funding, aimed at greenhouse gas emission reduction.

1. The Community Climate Collaborative received $20,000 for workshops on energy efficiency and waste management.
2. The Local Energy Alliance Program was granted $18,600 for roof repairs and upgrades to low-income households participating in a solar program.
3. Wildrock was awarded $11,380 for a composting system aimed at reducing food waste emissions.
4. Charlottesville Community Bikes received an additional $25,000 for their bicycle refurbishment and distribution program.
5. The International Rescue Committee’s New Roots Farm was granted $25,000 to electrify operations at their farm.

For more information on the Community Climate Action initiatives, you can explore details on the Albemarle County official site.