In the wake of a sophisticated cyberattack, the OnSolve CodeRED system has experienced a significant security breach, leading to an outage and the potential compromise of user data. The emergency notification service, which has been a critical component for relaying urgent alerts to the public, was targeted by what appears to be an organised group of cyber criminals. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office confirmed the breach and has notably severed ties with the CodeRED service in a decisive move to protect community members and their private information.
The attack, which specifically affected the CodeRED environment, resulted in the unauthorised removal of sensitive data from OnSolve’s systems. The impacted data might include users' names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and the passwords used to create their CodeRED profiles. Users are now being advised to quickly change their passwords, especially if they have been recycled across multiple personal or business accounts. This precautionary measure was detailed by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, which highlights the absence of evidence suggesting that the information has been leaked online.
The Sheriff's Office has taken swift and immediate action in response to this cybersecurity incident, choosing to terminate their contract with OnSolve's CodeRED for cause, as protecting the privacy of their citizens remains their utmost concern. As they undertake the process to find a suitable replacement for the alert system, the office assures that emergency communications will continue through the use of Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) alerts and alternative methods like social media announcements and direct, door-to-door notifications.
