HAYS, Kan. (KWCH) — Portions of Ellis County’s information technology systems have been affected by a ransomware incident discovered early Thursday morning, according to county officials.
Officials detected the cyber incident Sept. 17 and took immediate containment measures, which included isolating impacted systems and bringing in outside cybersecurity specialists to lead recovery and forensic efforts.
Emergency communications and public safety operations remain fully functional. County leadership confirmed 911 dispatch and emergency agency responses are experiencing no disruptions.
Officials said there is currently no evidence that sensitive or personal data was accessed or stolen. The investigation is active and includes assistance from local law enforcement, the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
Some county departments and services may experience delays, temporary outages, or alternate operating procedures in the coming days and weeks. Residents needing county services are advised to reach out directly to individual departments to confirm availability.
Officials noted the public does not need to take action at this time, though residents are urged to exercise caution when reviewing any emails coming from “ellisco.net.”
County officials said direct notifications will be sent if the ongoing review determines any personal information was compromised.
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