dChan - Q Origins Project Archive

Election-related system impacted by ransomware in Georgia county

https://statescoop.com/ransomware-election-system-hall-county-georgia/

A recent ransomware attack against Hall County, Georgia, disrupted several of its systems, including one related to election administration.

Officials in the county about 50 miles outside Atlanta first reported on Oct. 7 the attack had disrupted phone and email services at the county courthouse, sheriff’s offices and other public buildings. But on Thursday it was revealed that a database used by the county to verify voters’ signatures on absentee ballots was also disabled.

The spread of the ransomware to the signature-matching system was first reported by the Gainesville Times.

While county officials have said the cyberattack has not impeded the ability of voters to cast ballots, it could slow down the signature-matching process when absentee ballots are returned and processed. The county still has access to a statewide signature database, though some signatures may have to be matched by election clerks manually retrieving voters’ registration cards.