Cyberattacks have recently disrupted government systems in Ohio, Oklahoma, and Puerto Rico, affecting thousands of people and critical services.

• Durant, Oklahoma suffered a ransomware attack, taking down its website and digital services, including credit card payments. Emergency services remain active, but with delays. The city is working with law enforcement to investigate.

• Lorain County, Ohio experienced a major network outage that shut down government systems, including courts. Emergency services remain operational, and cybersecurity experts have been hired to assist recovery.

• Puerto Rico’s Justice Department reported a cyberattack on its Criminal Justice Information Office. Some services, such as issuing criminal record certificates, were suspended as a precaution.

These incidents follow a broader trend of ransomware attacks on municipalities and Native American governments. In Abilene, Texas, officials are still recovering from an April attack and have refused to pay the ransom, despite threats of data leaks.

Ransomware attacks can take weeks or months to recover from, often requiring full IT infrastructure replacements.