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Small county in Georgia hit with ransomware attack

Gilmer County, Georgia, reports suffering a ransomware attack that's disrupted several of its digital services.
(Getty Images)

A ransomware attack on Tuesday in Gilmer County, Georgia is impacting several government services, according to Fox News Atlanta, which first reported the story.

County officials told the news station that essential services, including 911, remain operational. Federal law enforcement and third-party cybersecurity analysts are helping to investigate the attack on the county, which has a population of about 31,000 residents.

“Gilmer County recently detected and responded to a ransomware incident and has taken affected systems offline while we work to secure and restore services safely. In the meantime, the public should expect delays from the County as a result,” a message on the county government’s website reads.

The cyberattack in Gilmer County comes only a few months after a ransomware attack in Fulton County, about 75 miles away, which continues to impact the county’s phone, tax and court systems. The international hacking group Lockbit 3.0 claimed responsibility for the Jan. 29 ransomware attack and threatened to release sensitive information.

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No one has claimed responsibility for the ransomware incident in Gilmer County.

Sophia Fox-Sowell

Written by Sophia Fox-Sowell

Sophia Fox-Sowell reports on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and government regulation for StateScoop. She was previously a multimedia producer for CNET, where her coverage focused on private sector innovation in food production, climate change and space through podcasts and video content. She earned her bachelor’s in anthropology at Wagner College and master’s in media innovation from Northeastern University.

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