Agency uses pencils, paper after hack
Most computer services at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission remained offline Wednesday following a hacking attack early Monday, state officials said.
“We detected an attack and have engaged state Cyber Command and OMES (Office of Management and Enterprise Services) staff to protect and restart the systems,” OMES spokeswoman Shelley Zumwalt said. “No sensitive data was compromised, either from the Corporation Commission or citizens.”
The attack mostly affected the Corporation Commission’s information technology systems, Zumwalt said. The commission website, email services and other network operations all were offline.
Zumwalt said she could not answer whether the office knew who was behind the attack.
“This is an ongoing investigation and, due to security constraints, we are limited in what we can say at this time,” she said.
Corporation Commission field inspectors and staff continued their duties this week, although digital reports will not be filed until the system is back online, Corporation Commission spokesman Matt Skinner said.
“They’re having to get back to pencil and paper or are using personal laptops to enter information,” Skinner said. “We’re still getting business done, but there are certain things we can’t do without the system. We’re obviously having to adapt.”
Several years ago, the state launched Oklahoma Cyber Command, which continuously monitors the state’s data and computer infrastructure against unauthorized data use, disclosure, modification, damage and loss.
Cyber Command’s goals include preventing cybercrimes, identifying threats as quickly as possible and controlling exposures, responding to incidents and restoring public services.
For years, each state agency was responsible for operating its own computer system and each agency had its own information technology employees, with varying levels of expertise, who were responsible for keeping data secure and combating cyber attacks.
A massive consolidation effort centralized much of the responsibility for state computer operations under the umbrella of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services.