No leads in Apex ransomware attack

Apex leaders on Thursday said that the hack that knocked the town network offline was an attempted ransomware attack, but the town has yet to get any demands.

"Nothing more about the cybercriminals is known at this time, including their demand – and in compliance with North Carolina law, the Town of Apex has not and will not communicate with, negotiate with, nor make payment to those responsible for this incident," town spokeswoman Stacie Galloway said in an update.

Since July 2, residents have been unable to pay bills or apply for permits electronically.

Emergency services like 911 remained online. "At no time did any life safety services cease to operate," Galloway said.

The town has not said whether any personal data from residents or employees has been compromised.

Former FBI agents say the collection of identifying and billing data is what makes local municipalities susceptible to cyberattacks.

"If you look at the top five areas that bad guys are looking, it's municipalities for several reasons," Darren Mott, a retired FBI agent.

"They have limited resources – the cybersecurity workforce is limited as it is," Mott said. "Those in the cybersecurity world are having a hard time find people to do cybersecurity jobs."

Mott said it is likely that cyber criminals got access to personal information.

"Chances are they stole a lot of information from the city database, [such] as personal identifiable information," Mott said.

Apex resident Perrin Reid realizes, "Any kind of information you have online that's electronic like that is going to be vulnerable."

Police Chief Jason Armstrong said employees are doing work by hand because of a cybersecurity incident impacting the town.

Galloway said, "We continue to operate the Town of Apex Government under normal hours, but with limited capacity, as we continue to investigate this matter and work to bring systems back online in a secure fashion and as quickly as possible."

Residents can use the phone or go to city hall in person for access to billing and permit services.

• Call 919-362-8676 for utility payments and press option #2 to speak to customer service or email.
• To request a building inspection, call 919-249-3388 and leave a voicemail before 2:00 p.m.

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