Ransomware cyberattack in Apex forces town to limit some government services
Apex continues to deal with a “cybersecurity incident” that is forcing the western Wake County town to limit some government services.
The town announced Thursday that it was the victim of an attempted ransomware attack. A spokeswoman said the town did not know who launched the attack or their demands.
“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,” spokeswoman Stacie Galloway wrote in an email.
The town wrote on its website Wednesday afternoon that government continues to function 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.”
It added that all emergency services are fully operational.
The town detected the attack Tuesday morning, but did not disclose it until Wednesday afternoon.
“We cannot help the timing,” Galloway said Wednesday. “Over the past 24 hours, we have been working to gather enough confirmed information to share.”
In her update Thursday, Galloway said the town must take systems offline and that the recovery will take time, “as top cybersecurity professionals work alongside town staff and local and state agencies to assess what happened.”
Apex is working with the N.C. Joint Cybersecurity Task Force and collaborating with “legal counsel, technical experts and cybersecurity professionals.”
Affected town services
Utility payments can be made only in person and payments can’t be accepted over the phone or online. New accounts or disconnecting accounts must be done in person or over the phone, but not online.
Calls for building permits must be made before 2 p.m. and can’t be done online.
