Clay County, Indiana, has declared a local disaster following a ransomware attack that disrupted critical services at the county courthouse, Community Corrections, and Probation offices. The attack, discovered around midnight on July 9, prevented officials from accessing data or connecting with state partners, leading to the closure of the courthouse and other county offices. Local and federal law enforcement agencies have been notified, and the declaration allows the county to allocate financial resources to affected departments and take immediate action to restore operations.
The incident is part of a broader trend of ransomware attacks targeting local governments across the United States. Monroe County and Cedar Falls, Iowa, recently faced attacks, while Dallas County, Texas, confirmed a separate ransomware incident in October 2023, exposing sensitive data of over 200,000 residents.