Geographic solutions ransomware attack impacts unemployment programs nationwide, security experts commented below.
Geographic solutions ransomware attack impacts unemployment programs nationwide, security experts commented below.
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This attack on Geographic Solutions (GSI), which forty states and Washington DC use for their HiRE websites, is another example of how cyberattacks can affect vital aspects of providing services. In this case, the estimated restoration time is within the next 72 hours and unemployment payments, at least in Louisiana, will be delayed two days before the 1st of the month when rent and other bills will be due for many Americans. Tennessee is suspending payments to at least 12,000 individuals because the Department of Labor and Workforce Development cannot access jobless claims data until the Geographic Solutions website is restored. Many other states including Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, and California have reported disruptions in work search capabilities or filing a claim online.
Just this past month CISA released a joint advisory recommending a data and systems backup plan that is isolated from the network as many ransomware variants infect recovery files. To ensure business continuity, organizations and contractors of all sizes can proactively prevent outages and unnecessary downtime by following this guidance. Organizations can also look to leverage network security automation to ensure backups and other critical tasks like patch management and OS upgrades are executed consistently and with verified outcomes, and that the network can be restored quickly and reliably in an emergency situation.