Hack Into Delco's Network Part Of 'Sophisticated Cybercriminal Attack' On County

MEDIA, PA — Two weeks after a cyberattack that has disrupted government services, Delaware County officials are working to determine how much sensitive data was compromised.

A hack into the county government's system was identified June 26, when several county departments said their phones and internet were down. The County says it shut down its network that day to protect sensitive information.

• Related: Delco Government System Hacked, Impacting County Services

On Friday, the County said the intrusion was part of a "sophisticated cybercriminal attack." But the scope of the attack remains under investigation.

"The attackers were able to gain limited access to the County’s network and to access data maintained within the network," the County's statement said. "We are still investigating with assistance from cybersecurity specialists to confirm the full scope of the recent attack, including the risk to County data. We will determine any next steps in response to the attack based on the investigation results."

The County's internal systems are back in full operation. But access to external systems remains limited, and work to regain access is expected to be completed "in the coming days," the County said.

In 2020, Delco's computer system was hacked in after a county employee fell for a scam email. Officials say the hacker threatened to release county data unless a ransom was paid. The county paid $25,000 to resolve the issue.

Since then, the County's IT team has followed industry recommendations to best secure network assets, officials said. Those protections proved valuable in the recent attacks, since several larger hacking attempts were blocked, according to the County.

The recent hack has impacted service at several county institutions, including courts, libraries, and the District Attorney's Office.

County officials thanked employees for their "creative work to continue to serve residents through difficult circumstances."

"The unfortunate reality is that government entities everywhere are subject to continued and repeated attacks and intrusion attempts," officials said. "The County will continue to work to improve protections for critical systems and to find ways to better serve every resident who calls Delaware County home."