Courts across Kansas, including Sedgwick, will likely operate on paper and pencil for at least the next two weeks.
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Kansas Judge Phil Journey says there appears to have been an “ unauthorized intrusion ” into the state’s brand-new computer system and it will remain down for at least two weeks, affecting all Kansas courts.
It is announced that the Sedgwick County Courthouse will remain open on Monday, but operations will likely be slower. There will be no ability to file applications electronically or file applications in court.
This news comes just days after Administrative Order 2023-SS-073 on Friday, which declared the court's secretarial services in Topeka inaccessible for electronic filings until Sunday.
The Topeka Municipal Court announced that it will remain closed on Monday, as a precaution and to allow the city to investigate potential security issues.
What are the most common targets of ransomware attacks?
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A wide variety of institutions and businesses are potential targets for ransomware attacks. Typically, attackers choose organizations, especially those they believe have more information or weaker security systems.
Public Sector
Governments and public services, such as courts, are popular targets. These types of services hold important information and are essential to the functioning of society, as illustrated in the recent case in Kansas.
Businesses
Businesses are also a frequent target for ransomware attacks, as attackers assume they will be more likely to pay the required ransom to avoid significant data leakage or job loss.
Health Services
The healthcare sector is another common target of ransomware attacks, as malicious actors realize that low cybersecurity budgets and the urgent need to access patient data can secure them a quick ransom payment.
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Ransomware attacks are a growing threat to organizations and the consequences can be devastating. However, there are several approaches that organizations can take to protect themselves from such attacks.
Public Sector
The public sector, like the Kansas courts, must ensure that all systems and data are physically and digitally secure. This can be achieved through data backups , continuous system updates and protection , and staff training in recognizing and avoiding ransomware attacks.
Businesses
Businesses, on the other hand, face even greater financial impacts from ransomware attacks. Along with the above tips, businesses can invest in IT security and make security a critical element of their decision-making process.
Health Services
Finally, healthcare organizations have unique challenges in dealing with ransomware attacks due to the complex nature of their systems and the wide range of sensitive data they handle. Healthcare organizations can increase their security by installing regular security updates, educating staff on data security, and continuously monitoring systems for suspicious activity.
Source: kake.com
