Richland County issues statement regarding cybersecurity breach that may have compromised residents personal data

RICHLAND CENTER, Wis. – A number of Richland County residents received a surprising letter over the weekend informing them of what has been called a “data security incident.” That caused a lot of anxiety and concern that their personal information may have been compromised as the result of a cyber attack on the county computer system.

The issue was further exacerbated when many took to Facebook to voice their concerns on both the Richland Rants and Chats page and in the comments of a post by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office. Many residents called the Richland County Sheriff’s Office thinking the letters may have been a scam. The sheriff’s office says the letters are not a scam.

Many of the online comments expressed anger that the breach apparently happened almost a year ago and they were just being notified of the incident now. According to a notice posted on the county’s website, the data breach occurred on or about October 4, 2023, but the county says it wasn’t until recently they learned that personal data may have been compromised in that breach.

The statement issued by the county today states there was a breach of data they describe as a “sophisticated cybersecurity incident” last year, and the county immediately launched an investigation and notified law enforcement. The report states the county hired an experienced outside third party specialist to do a thorough forensic investigation. The county says they learned in August that a file that may have been accessed during the breach containing residents personal information. That is when they notified residents a of a potential problem and have taken steps to protect residents personal data.

The report states:

“We have no evidence that any personal information has been or will be misused for identity theft as a direct result of this incident. However, out of abundance of caution, notified individuals have been provided with best practices to protect their information, and individuals whose Social Security numbers were potentially impacted have been offered complimentary credit monitoring.”

Statement from Richland County Administrator Candace Pesch regarding the data breach

First and foremost, Richland County, WI (“Richland County”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal information and we continue to take significant measures to protect that information. On or about October 4, 2023, Richland County detected unauthorized access to our network as a result of a sophisticated cybersecurity incident, initially described as a network disruption. Upon learning of the issue, we secured our network environment, alerted law enforcement and commenced an immediate and thorough investigation.

As part of the investigation, Richland County engaged a leading third-party cybersecurity
professionals experienced in handling these types of incidents. The investigation aimed to
determine the extent of the activity and whether individual personal and protected health
information, if any, may have been accessed or acquired by an unauthorized party. As such,
Richland County engaged a third-party to conduct a programmatic and manual review of the
potentially impacted files with the goal of identifying individuals, their contact information and the types of impacted personal and/or protected health information. Following this month’s long
review, Richland County thoroughly worked to validate the data and obtain addresses for all
individuals who may have been affected by the incident. With guidance from third-party
cybersecurity professionals, Richland County ensured that the investigation and data review was
comprehensive and thorough to identify those affected by the incident and determine the scope of the impacted information.

After an extensive forensic investigation and manual document review, on August 1, 2024, we
discovered that certain impacted files containing personal information may have been accessed
and/or acquired by an unauthorized individual between September 28, 2023 and October 26, 2023. Furthermore, Richland County ran all identified names through the National Change of Address database to ensure that the addresses identified were the most recent. Richland County then provided written notification of this incident via U.S. Mail to those whose contact information was on file and whose information was determined to be impacted. We have no evidence that any personal information has been or will be misused for identity theft as a direct result of this incident. However, out of abundance of caution, notified individuals have been provided with best practices to protect their information, and individuals whose Social Security numbers were potentially impacted have been offered complimentary credit monitoring.

Richland County understands the importance of safeguarding individual personal information.
Richland County remains fully committed to maintaining the privacy of personal information in
our possession, and upon learning of the event, Richland County took immediate action to protect the individual personal and protected health information it maintains and devoted considerable time and effort to determine what information was potentially impacted as a result of this incident. Richland County continually evaluates and modifies its practices to enhance the security and privacy of personal information and are taking measures to augment its existing cybersecurity.

If you have any further questions regarding this incident, please call our dedicated and confidential toll-free response line that we have set up to respond to questions at 833-215-
3616.

This response line is staffed with professionals familiar with this incident and knowledgeable on
what you can do to protect against misuse of your information. The response line is available
Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Eastern Time.

Candace Pesch
Richland County Administrator

Previous notice regarding the breach

Richland County, WI Provides Notice of Data Security Incident. The privacy and security of the personal information entrusted to us is of the utmost importance to Richland County, WI (“Richland County”). We are writing to provide you with information regarding a data security
incident which potentially affected the security of some of your personal information. As such, we wanted to provide you with information about the incident and let you know that we continue to take significant measures to protect your information.

On or about October 4, 2023, Richland County detected unauthorized access to our network. Upon learning of this issue, we immediately secured the environment and commenced a prompt and thorough investigation. As part of our investigation, we have been working very closely with external cybersecurity professionals experienced in handling these types of incidents. The investigation aimed to determine the nature and scope of the incident and whether any personal information was accessed and/or acquired by an unauthorized party. After an extensive forensic investigation and manual document review, on August 1, 2024, we discovered that certain impacted files containing personal information may have been accessed and/or acquired by an unauthorized individual between September 28, 2023 and October 26, 2023.

The potentially impacted files contained full names in combination with one (1) or more of the following:
address, phone number, fax number, email address, date of death, date of birth, Social Security number, tax identification number, driver’s license or government identification number, passport number, financial account information, financial account PIN/Security Code, routing number, payment card number, payment card expiration date/CVV/Security code, username and password, license plate number, VIN number, medical information, health insurance information, prescription information and/or biometric information.

Not all information was impacted for all individuals.

We have no evidence that any of your information has been used for identity theft or financial fraud as a result of this incident. Nevertheless, out of an abundance of caution, we wanted to make individuals aware of the incident and provide information on steps individuals can take to safeguard their information. Individuals are encouraged to take steps to protect themselves against identity fraud, including placing a fraud alert/security freeze on their credit files, obtaining free credit reports, and remaining vigilant in reviewing financial account statements and credit reports for fraudulent or irregular activity on a regular basis. Richland County will be providing complimentary credit monitoring services for those determined to have had their Social Security number impacted. Please review the “Other Important Information” section below for more information.

If you have any further questions regarding this incident, please call our dedicated and confidential toll-free response line that we have set up to respond to questions at 833-215-3616. This response line is staffed with professionals familiar with this incident and knowledgeable on what you can do to protect against misuse of your information. The response line is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Eastern Time.

– OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION –

1. Placing a Fraud Alert on Your Credit File.
   We recommend that you place an initial one-year “Fraud Alert” on your credit files, at no charge. A fraud alert tells creditors to contact you personally before they open any new accounts. To place a fraud alert, call any one of the three major credit bureaus at the numbers listed below. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, they will notify the others.

Equifax
P.O. Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30348-5069
https://www.equifax.com/person
al/credit-report-services/credit-
fraud-alerts/
(800) 525-6285

Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
https://www.experian.com/frau
d/center.html
(888) 397-3742

TransUnion
Fraud Victim Assistance Department
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016-2000
https://www.transunion.com/fraud-alerts
(800) 680-7289

2. Consider Placing a Security Freeze on Your Credit File. If you are very concerned about becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, you may request a “Security Freeze” be placed on your credit file, at no charge. A security freeze prohibits, with certain specific exceptions, the consumer reporting agencies from releasing your credit report or any information from it without your express authorization. You may place a security freeze on your credit report by contacting all three nationwide credit reporting companies at the numbers below and following the stated directions or by sending a request in writing, by mail, to all three credit reporting companies:

Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
https://www.equifax.com/perso
nal/credit-report-services/credit-
freeze/
(888)-298-0045

Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
http://experian.com/freeze
(888) 397-3742

TransUnion Security Freeze
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
https://www.transunion.com/c
redit-freeze
(888) 909-8872

In order to place the security freeze, you’ll need to supply your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and other personal information. After receiving your freeze request, each credit reporting company will send you a confirmation letter containing a unique PIN (personal identification number) or password. Keep the PIN or password in a safe place. You will need it if you choose to lift the freeze. If your personal information has been used to file a false tax return, to open an account or to attempt to open an account in your name or to commit fraud or other crimes against you, you may file a police report in the City in which you currently reside.

3. Obtaining a Free Credit Report.
   Under federal law, you are entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the above three major nationwide credit reporting companies. Call 1-877-322-8228 or request your free credit reports online at www.annualcreditreport.com. Once you receive your credit reports, review them for discrepancies. Identify any accounts you did not open or inquiries from creditors that you did not authorize. Verify all information is correct. If you have questions or notice incorrect information, contact the credit reporting company.
4. Protecting Your Medical Information. We have no evidence that your medical information involved in this incident was or will be used for any unintended purposes. However, the following practices can provide additional safeguards to protect against medical identity theft.

• Only share your health insurance cards with your health care providers and other family members
  who are covered under your insurance plan or who help you with your medical care
• Review your “explanation of benefits statement” which you receive from your health insurance company. Follow up with your insurance company or care provider for any items you do not recognize. If necessary, contact the care provider on the explanation of benefits statement and ask for copies of medical records from the date of the potential access (noted above) to current date.
• Ask your insurance company for a current year-to-date report of all services paid for you as a beneficiary. Follow up with your insurance company or the care provider for any items you do not recognize.

3. Additional Helpful Resources.
   Even if you do not find any suspicious activity on your initial credit reports, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that you check your credit reports periodically. Checking your credit report periodically can help you spot problems and address them quickly. If you find suspicious activity on your credit reports or have reason to believe your information is being misused, call your local law enforcement agency and file a police report. Be sure to obtain a copy of the police report, as many creditors will want the information it contains to absolve you of the fraudulent debts.
4. You may also file a complaint with the FTC by contacting them on the web at www.ftc.gov/idtheft, by phone at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338), or by mail at Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Response Center, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. Your complaint will be added to the FTC’s Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, where it will be accessible to law enforcement for their investigations. In addition, you may obtain information from the FTC about fraud alerts and security freezes.

Iowa Residents: You may contact law enforcement or the Iowa Attorney General’s Office to report suspected incidents of identity Theft: Office of the Attorney General of Iowa, Consumer Protection Division, Hoover State Office Building, 1305 East Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50319, www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov, Telephone: 515-281-5164.

Maryland Residents: You may obtain information about avoiding identity theft from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, Consumer Protection Division, 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD 21202, www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov, Telephone: 888-743-0023.

Massachusetts Residents: Under Massachusetts law, you have the right to obtain a police report in regard to this incident. If you are the victim of identity theft, you also have the right to file a police report and obtain a copy of it.

New York Residents: You may obtain information about preventing identity theft from the New York Attorney General’s Office: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; ag.ny.gov/consumer-frauds-bureau/identity-theft; Telephone: 800-771-7755.

North Carolina Residents: You may obtain information about preventing identity theft from the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office: Office of the Attorney General of North Carolina, Consumer Protection Division, 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001, www.ncdoj.gov, Telephone: 877-566-7226 (Toll-free within North Carolina), 919-716-6000.

Oregon Residents: You may obtain information about preventing identity theft from the Oregon AttorneyGeneral’s Office: Oregon Department of Justice, 1162 Court Street NE, Salem, OR 97301-4096, www.doj.state.or.us, Telephone: 877-877-9392.

Washington D.C. Residents: You may obtain information about preventing identity theft from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, 400 6th Street NW, Washington D.C. 20001, oag.dc.gov/consumer-protection, Telephone: 202-442-9828.

Rhode Island Residents: You may contact law enforcement, such as the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, to report incidents of identity theft or to learn about steps you can take to protect yourself from identity theft. You can contact the Rhode Island Attorney General at: Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903, www.riag.ri.gov, 401-274-4400.

As noted above, you may obtain a security freeze on your credit report to protect your privacy and ensure that credit is not granted in your name without your knowledge. You have a right to place a “security freeze” on your credit report pursuant to chapter 48 of title 6 of the Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2006. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. When you place a security freeze on your credit report, within five (5) business days you will be provided a personal identification number or password to use if you choose to remove the freeze on your credit report or to temporarily authorize the release of your credit report for a specific period of
time after the freeze is in place. To provide that authorization, you must contact the consumer reporting agency and provide all of the following:

1. The unique personal identification number or password provided by the consumer reporting agency.
2. Proper identification to verify your identity.
3. The proper information regarding the period of time for which the report shall be available
   to users of the credit report.

A consumer reporting agency that receives a request from a consumer to temporarily lift a freeze on a credit report shall comply with the request no later than three (3) business days after receiving the request. A security freeze does not apply to circumstances where you have an existing account relationship and a copy of your report is requested by your existing creditor or its agents or affiliates for certain types of an account review, collection, fraud control, or similar activities.

If you are actively seeking a new credit, loan, utility, telephone, or insurance account, you should
understand that the procedures involved in lifting a security freeze may slow your own applications for credit. You should plan ahead and lift a freeze — either completely, if you are shopping around, or specifically for a certain creditor — with enough advance notice before you apply for new credit for the lifting to take effect.

You have a right to bring a civil action against someone who violates your rights under the credit reporting laws. The action can be brought against a consumer reporting agency or a user of your credit report. To place a security freeze on your credit report, you must send a request to each of the three major consumer reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These agencies can be contacted using the contact information provided above.

In order to request a security freeze, you may need to provide the following information:

1. Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Complete address;
5. Prior addresses;
6. Proof(s) of identification (state driver’s license or ID card, military identification, birth
   certificate, etc.);
7. If you are a victim of identity theft, a copy of either the police report, investigative report,
   or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft.

New Mexico Residents: You have rights under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). These
include, among others, the right to know what is in your file; to dispute incomplete or inaccurate
information; and to have consumer reporting agencies correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information. For more information about the FCRA, please visit
www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf or www.ftc.gov.

In Addition, New Mexico Consumers Have the Right to Obtain a Security Freeze or Submit a Declaration of Removal. As noted above, you may obtain a security freeze on your credit report to protect your privacy and ensure that credit is not granted in your name without your knowledge. You may submit a declaration of removal to remove information placed in your credit report as a result of being a victim of identity theft. You have a right to place a security freeze on your credit report or submit a declaration of removal pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting and Identity Security Act.

The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. When you place a security freeze on your credit report, you will be provided with a personal identification number, password, or similar device to use if you choose to remove the freeze on your credit report or to temporarily authorize the release of your credit report to a specific party or parties or for a specific period of time after the freeze is in place. To remove the freeze or to provide authorization for the temporary release of your credit report, you must contact the consumer reporting agency and provide all of the following:

1. The unique personal identification number, password, or similar device provided by the
   consumer reporting agency;
2. Proper identification to verify your identity; and
3. Information regarding the third party or parties who are to receive the credit report or the
   period of time for which the credit report may be released to users of the credit report.
   A consumer reporting agency that receives a request from a consumer to lift temporarily a freeze on a credit report shall comply with the request no later than three business days after receiving the request. As of September 1, 2008, a consumer reporting agency shall comply with the request within fifteen minutes of receiving the request by a secure electronic method or by telephone.

A security freeze does not apply in all circumstances, such as where you have an existing account
relationship and a copy of your credit report is requested by your existing creditor or its agents for certain types of account review, collection, fraud control, or similar activities; for use in setting or adjusting aninsurance rate or claim or insurance underwriting; for certain governmental purposes; and for purposes of prescreening as defined in the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.

If you are actively seeking a new credit, loan, utility, telephone, or insurance account, you should
understand that the procedures involved in lifting a security freeze may slow your own applications for credit. You should plan ahead and lift a freeze, either completely if you are shopping around or specifically for a certain creditor, with enough advance notice before you apply for new credit for the lifting to take effect. You should contact a consumer reporting agency and request it to lift the freeze at least three business days before applying. As of September 1, 2008, if you contact a consumer reporting agency by a secure electronic method or by telephone, the consumer reporting agency should lift the freeze within fifteen minutes. You have a right to bring a civil action against a consumer reporting agency that violates your
rights under the Fair Credit Reporting and Identity Security Act.

To place a security freeze on your credit report, you must send a request to each of the three major consumer reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You may contact these agencies using the contact information provided above.