PEKIN, Ill. – Tazewell County Sheriff Jeff Lower says a criminal investigation is continuing into what he calls a “cyber-incident” that took down the computer and phone systems of Tazewell County government.
It’s been eight days since the attack was first discovered, and the network was taken off line as a precaution.
Only now, Lower says, are things starting to get back to normal.
“We have begun restoring the telephone systems,” said Lower, at a news conference Tuesday afternoon in Pekin. “The main incoming telephone numbers to most offices have been, or are currently being, restored.”
Lower says e-mail is still down at the moment. He says 911 is not impacted, as that is on a separate system.
The extra work for some county offices continues, however – including Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman.
“Normal, simple tasks like issuing a marriage license…we had weddings over the weekend. That complicated that,” said Ackerman. “We had to go old school – back to typing them out on a typewriter.”
Ackerman says the issue has not impacted candidates filing to be on the March primary election ballot, for which this is the first week. He says there already appear to be a couple contested races for county offices in March, with the filing deadline December 4 at 5 p.m.
As for the criminal investigation, Lower says the FBI has been notified, but he declined to otherwise discuss the status of the investigation. WMBD News has contacted the FBI’s Springfield office, but no response has yet been provided.
Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office communication devices including email and phone are temporarily out of service.
For assistance please contact
Civil: 309-215-6665
Jail: 309-215-6605
Criminal Investigation Division- including sex offender registration: 309-202-0942— Tazewell County (@tazcosheriff) November 28, 2023
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