Late in the evening of July 13, 2024, our Security Operations Center detected malware in the Ada County Emergency Communications environment. The effected machines were isolated immediately. Ada County Sheriff’s Office and Ada County IT, with the assistance of a nationally-recognized cybersecurity and digital forensics firm, worked around the clock to investigate the incident and ensure that any malware was contained and eradicated.
The investigation into this incident has been concluded — we found no evidence of a data breach and no machines were encrypted.
Due to this incident, our computer aided dispatching (CAD) system was proactively taken offline. Our 911 and non-emergency lines were operational.
This meant our dispatchers had to dispatch using “old school” methods — call takers took notes on virtual call cards, which were then printed and taken to a primary dispatcher by a runner. The primary dispatcher then dispatched the appropriate law enforcement, fire or EMS agency via radio. Though not as efficient as the technology we’re used to, this backup process allows dispatch to continue to send help and resources where they’re needed.
For first responders, no CAD means having less information at their fingertips, such as call notes or the ability to easily run someone’s information.
“I am thankful for ACSO and Ada County IT’s swift and decisive action in stopping this attempted breach. Their expertise and dedication were critical in safeguarding our systems, conducting a thorough investigation, and ultimately bringing our systems back online,” said Sheriff Matt Clifford. “I am also grateful for our dispatchers, who handled thousands of calls with limited tools at their disposal. I would also like to thank our partner agencies for their patience and for stepping up to help.”
“We all know the world relies on technology and we in public safety are no different,” said Sheriff Clifford. “But at the end of the day, we’re in the business of people helping people and we’re proud that we can demonstrate that even with our systems offline.”
Edit: corrected date