‘Sophisticated’ cyberattack downs systems at Virginia attorney general’s office

The Virginia attorney general’s office suffered a cyberattack Wednesday, prompting officials to shut down computer systems and direct employees to return to paper court filings, The Washington Post reported.

The Post reported that Chief Deputy Attorney General Steven Popps emailed employees Wednesday night with a notice that most of the office’s IT systems — including email, VPN and internet access, and website — were offline.

“Unfortunately our agency has been the victim of what appears to be a sophisticated cyberattack,” Popps wrote.

The agency shut down its computer systems after noticing suspicious activity early Wednesday morning, then notified the Virginia State Police, the FBI and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, the Post reported. Both law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident.

The Office of Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares did not respond to requests for comment. VITA declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the primary statistical agency within the Department of Justice, state attorneys general collect data on crime, consumer debt and other areas. In 2021, the office of Illinois Attorney General suffered a cyberattack, resulting in the theft and publication of agency files.

According to the Post, it’s unclear whether the cyberattack on the Virginia attorney general’s office is a ransomware attack.