Guadalupe County Hit by Cyberattack

Guadalupe County officials, including revered Judge Kyle Kutscher, are speaking out after what appears to be a digital security breach. Local officials are responding to an online attack that has compromised the operations network of the entire county. Here's an in-depth look at the alleged cyberattack.

What was the Attack?

The Guadalupe County network was disrupted. The disruption compromised County operations. Though it is still unclear what information was exposed and stolen in the attack, the County took immediate action as it stores the sensitive details about hardworking Guadalupe taxpayers.

It is possible that the network disruption was caused by cyber miscreants who concealed their attack to steal or view valuable information about the County and possibly even its residents. However, at this time, the County has not delved deeply into how hackers performed the alleged data breach nor its potential impact.

What was the Impact of the Attack?

The digital offensive compromised the County's ability to serve the general public. Though the County's cyber security specialists received ongoing updates in the immediate aftermath of the alleged breach, there have been accusations that data might have been exposed or stolen during the period in which the local network was rebuilt.

What Information was Stolen in the Attack?

Initial reports indicate the alleged breach did not expose personal information to hackers. However, County officials were adamant that if it was determined that personal information was stolen, the general public would be notified. Even if hackers did not steal highly sensitive information in the breach, the mere fact that it appears digital criminals were able to view or steal the information of thousands of hardworking Guadalupe residents reinforces the need for updating your identity theft protections.

What was the Response to the Attack?

Guadalupe's County Judge Kutscher contacted the media to highlight the data security breach. The official statement indicated that the County quickly responded in an attempt to neutralize the incident. Cyber security professionals from third-party organizations were enlisted to assess the threat.

The County also enlisted the assistance of Emergency Management specialists, the Guadalupe Sheriff’s Office, and specialized digital security professionals to assess the potential breach and its impact. County officials even went as far as tapping into the expertise of cybersecurity and law enforcement specialists at the local, state, and national levels. Representatives from the Texas Secretary of State's office were notified after the attack.

The County also deserves credit for establishing a unique email address specific to individuals who plan on reconnecting with local government leaders. The email address is also available to those who have questions about the digital attack as the investigation unfolds. If you or anyone you know suspect your information was accessed in the attack, reach out to Guadalupe County at guadcoinfo@gmail.com.

County representatives noted it would likely establish additional email addresses to cover questions pertaining to specific departments. Once that occurs, a list will be compiled so the entire Guadalupe County community knows exactly who to reach out to if they are concerned that their personal information might have been viewed or stolen in the attack.