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A cyber attack cripples Middletown, OH, city services, creating unexpected hurdles for residents needing permits and vital records. With systems down and deadlines looming, the crisis raises urgent questions about data security and the extent of the disruption. 'It's a headache.' #cyberattack #MiddletownOH #datasecurity #news
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0:00
Cyber attack has shut down computers at
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the Middletown city building. It's
0:04
creating havoc in multiple city
0:06
departments.
0:06
Yeah. So, the police, the health
0:08
department, and utility billing services
0:10
are among those impacted. And WLWT
0:13
News5's Brian Ham live in Middletown.
0:15
And Brian, what have you learned about
0:16
the situation?
0:19
Well, Chris, the result of this cyber
0:22
attack is affecting a lot of city
0:24
offices. Some things just aren't
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available right now. And the ripple
0:29
effect is hitting people in ways they
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would never have expected.
0:35
[Music]
0:36
Of all the problems on his project,
0:41
breaking rocks,
0:43
clearing away for a new garage.
0:46
Had a twoc car a big shed garage uh
0:50
storage unit here. Then I had a small
0:52
unit garage here. Jeff Mastersonson
0:55
never thought a cyber attack would be
0:58
one of them until he got to the
1:00
Middletown city offices trying to get a
1:03
building permit.
1:04
Basically, the paperwork of diagrams and
1:07
the city computer systems are down and
1:09
that threatens to delay building.
1:12
It's a headache. We just found out today
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when we come in that they've been hacked
1:16
and can't do anything.
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It's not the only deadline dilemma. The
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health department window is closed, too.
1:22
try to go get this birth certificate for
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ill timing for Amber Sville who needs a
1:26
birth certificate for a job right away.
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It's kind of a hassle cuz I got to go
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all the way to Hamilton to go get it
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now.
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You can't get it here in Middletown.
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No sir, I can't. They told me it would
1:36
be down. It would be closed until
1:38
further notice.
1:39
Police records are handcuffed and is
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taking a toll on the tax department.
1:44
City employees aren't even logging into
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computers until a full assessment is
1:48
done. Making it worse is no one knows
1:51
how long this will last or who's
1:53
responsible.
1:57
Meanwhile, with building materials on
1:59
the way, the deadline is coming fast for
2:01
Jeff Masterson, who's used to having
2:04
computers solve the problems. Now they
2:08
are the problem.
2:12
And now a lot of people have personal
2:14
information on some of these city
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systems. We ask if that was compromised.
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One source says it doesn't look like it,
2:20
but nobody's giving an answer on the
2:22
record. Reporting live, Brian Hamri,
2:25
WLWT News5.
2:26
And Brian, has the city said anything
2:28
about the nature of the cyber attack or
2:30
what the hackers wanted in all of this?
2:34
Yeah, we asked about that. We asked if
2:35
this was a ransomware attack. Uh, so far
2:39
they aren't saying anything about that.
2:41
One insider told me they don't think
2:43
that's what it is, but again, nothing on
2:46
the record about that. Still a lot of
2:48
questions. Chris, Brian Ham reporting
2:50
live for us there in Middletown. Brian,
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thank you so much.
2:54
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