County has potential security breach

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
Antivirus software used to protect Weston County’s systems detected a potential breach, leading to the shutdown of accounting systems at the courthouse, according to Treasurer Susie Overman.
Overman told the commissioners on Feb. 5 that the software kicked the treasurer’s and clerk’s offices out of the servers, holding up the accounting systems through Tyler Technologies, a Texas technology company that provides many of the county’s portals for different operations, for most of the day on Feb. 4. 
“We talked about replacing the servers at budget time, but I suggest we get that done ASAP,” Overman said. “If someone can hack into the county, we are not going to have a county; they are going to go in and wipe us out of the accounting system. I think yesterday was a warning since VIPRE (the security software’s brand name) did catch it, but it could cause havoc and it could wipe out information.”
Overman said that she could provide the commissioners with additional details in an executive session. 
“I am going to speak broadly so we can keep this in open session,” Chairman Tony Barton said. “The email from Tyler Tech said that it was basically one of their files being flagged and quarantined by the antiviral software. We don’t have an external threat trying to hack the software; it is an internal issue.” 
Overman said that she could not answer Barton’s question and that she considered the incident a “major threat.” 
“It has been executing whatever its duty was for years and for it to be flagged all of the sudden … either the process has changed or someone got in and changed it,” Commissioner Marty Ertman said. 
Having a new system would not be an immediate fix, Ertman said.  She said she also wondered why the incident happened all of a sudden, regardless of whether or not it was internal. 
“It (the antivirus software) did its job. I don’t know if I like that it shut us down for a day, but it did its job,” Ertman said. 
Barton said that it appeared to him that something was inadvertently flagged and quarantined and that he thinks the antivirus software and the server are two different things. 
Commissioner Tracy Hunt said that he would like an expert opinion on the issue. 
Commissioner Nathan Todd, who said the issue also bothered him, agreed to do some research to help clarify what happened during the suspected breach. 
“If you find something that is serious and needs (to
be) addressed, let me know,” Barton said. “We can call a special meeting if we need to, but I would say it is probably a routine deal.”