Town Of Durham Comment On Virtual Meeting Intrusion

From the Town of Durham:

October 8, 2020

The Town of Durham experienced a disruption during the October 7th, Planning and Zoning meeting in which there was an intrusion into the online meeting.

A video conference intrusion is a type of cyber harassment where online meetings have been hijacked by unidentified individuals who spew hateful language or share graphic images.

The town is disappointed learn of the incident involving this type of attack and strongly condemns such behavior. Action is being taken to trace the source of the event and will take appropriate measures to prevent this in the future.

The Town is taking immediate action to protect our residents, and board and commissions members to encourage all government users and attendees to follow proper procedures to ensure that video conferences are secure. Having said that, these types of incidents cannot be completely resolved but managed. We will continue to inform and make updates to the online conferencing platform as available. There are ways to mitigate teleconferencing threats that will be discussed with the administrative users.

If you have any questions, please contact Alicia Fonash-Willett Assistant Town Clerk and IT Coordinator.

Alicia C. Fonash-Willett
Assistant Town Clerk and
IT Coordinator Town of Durham - Office of the Town Clerk
O: 860.349.3453
Email: afonash-willett@townofdurhamct.org
townofdurhamct.org

This press release was produced by the Town of Durham. The views expressed are the author's own.