Cyber Incident Victim: North Kingstown
Date:
Nov 2022
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Washington County in Maryland experienced a cybersecurity incident disrupting multiple government services, prompting ongoing restoration efforts. Critical impacts included inoperable phone lines at the State’s Attorney’s office, halted permit processing and inspections, and temporary webpages established for accessing bids, job applications, and departmental updates. Officials prioritized system recovery and public service accessibility while investigating the breach, advising residents to rely solely on county communications for official updates.
| 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
A cybersecurity incident disrupted Washington County, Maryland government operations beginning on November 24, 2022. The county activated incident response protocols immediately, prioritizing system restoration and maintenance of essential public services. By December 2, 2022, significant progress had been achieved in recovery efforts, though the investigation remained ongoing and prevented disclosure of specific technical details regarding the attack vector or threat actor. County officials emphasized their primary focus on ensuring community safety and restoring access to critical government functions while maintaining operational security throughout the forensic process. Restoration work proceeded systematically, with technicians gradually bringing services back online following security validation protocols to prevent secondary compromises.
The incident caused widespread operational disruptions across multiple county departments. The Division of Permits and Inspections lost access to digital permit records and processing systems, forcing staff to switch to paper applications available at their Northern Avenue office while telephone requests replaced online inspection scheduling. The Office of the State’s Attorney experienced telephone system failures, requiring citizens to contact an alternative number for services. County employment processes resumed partially through a temporary portal allowing job viewing and applications, though full human resources functionality remained impaired. Procurement operations adapted by enabling vendors to access bid documents through a newly established Purchasing Department webpage. Washington County implemented a phased restoration of its web presence, adding informational pages daily to a temporary website that outlined modified service delivery methods across departments. Officials repeatedly directed citizens to county government channels as the sole authoritative information source, cautioning against disinformation while providing updates through Public Relations Director Danielle Weaver as the restoration continued.