Cyber Incident Victim: Maries County Government
Date:
Aug 2023
Location:
United States of America
Summary
The Maries County Courthouse experienced a cyber attack initially manifesting as intermittent phone and internet disruptions before escalating to impair administrative communications, 911 services, radio systems, and MULES connectivity. The attack caused repeated phantom calls to courthouse lines, mid-call disconnections on IP-based phones, and delayed emergency response, including one incident where a caller required four attempts to reach 911. Dispatchers were forced to manually collect call details and directly contact a neighboring county’s communications center due to compromised transfer capabilities. The county’s IT manager confirmed the attack was contained, with normal operations restored and contingency plans established for future incidents using CodeRED alerts and social media notifications.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
The Maries County Courthouse in rural Missouri experienced a sustained cyber attack beginning in late August 2023, with initial symptoms emerging as intermittent phone and internet disruptions toward the end of the previous week. These early issues were initially perceived as routine connectivity challenges common to the region's rural infrastructure. The situation escalated significantly over the weekend of August 26-27, when the attack began impairing administrative telephone systems, 911 emergency lines, radio communications, and MULES connectivity—a critical law enforcement data network. By Friday, August 25, and continuing through Monday morning, August 28, courthouse staff encountered frequent phantom calls where phones would ring but produce no audible caller upon answering. The IP-based phone system also dropped legitimate calls mid-conversation, compounding operational disruptions across county services.
The cyber attack reached its peak intensity on the morning of September 1, 2023, severely compromising emergency response capabilities. One documented 911 caller reported requiring four attempts before successfully reaching assistance due to call processing failures. Dispatchers faced additional challenges as the attack disabled standard call transfer protocols to the Osage County Communications center, forcing personnel to manually collect caller information and directly dial dispatch contacts. Maries County IT Manager Shane Sweno confirmed the attack had been contained by September 1, with normal operations restored across all affected systems including emergency services, administrative communications, and data networks. The county's Emergency Management agency publicly outlined its response protocol for potential future incidents, specifying immediate activation of CodeRED emergency alerts and official social media notifications should similar cyber activity recur. No additional service interruptions or security breaches were reported following the containment measures implemented by September 1.