Clay County Social Services

Clay County Social Services in Minnesota experienced a data breach as a result of a ransomware attack that occurred between October 23 and October 26, 2023. The breach was discovered on October 27, 2023, when it was determined that the county’s network and its electronic document management system, CaseWorks, had been compromised. CaseWorks is used not only by Clay County but also by other Minnesota County social services entities[1][2][7].

The unauthorized access led to the theft of data from Clay County’s network. The compromised information included individuals’ names, Social Security numbers, addresses, dates of birth, details regarding services provided by Clay County Social Services (such as service locations, dates, client identification numbers, and unique identifiers), insurance identification numbers, and insurance or billing information[1][2].

Despite the sensitive nature of the data involved, Clay County’s investigators found no evidence that the stolen information had been released or offered for sale on the Dark Web. Additionally, no ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack or listed Clay County or CaseWorks data on leak sites[2].

In response to the incident, Clay County has taken several steps to enhance its security measures, including implementing multi-factor authentication for remote access to the CaseWorks application, updating procedures for external vendor access, deploying security tools to improve detection and response to cyber incidents, and enhancing technical security measures related to CaseWorks[1].

Clay County has also been proactive in notifying affected individuals, mailing notifications to those whose protected health information and personal information were impacted. For individuals for whom the county did not have sufficient contact information, a notice was posted on the county’s website, and a toll-free telephone number was provided for inquiries[1][5].

Residents are advised to remain vigilant for incidents of fraud and identity theft by regularly reviewing account statements, credit reports, and health insurance Explanation of Benefits (EOB) forms for unauthorized or suspicious activity. They are also encouraged to report any suspected identity theft to local law enforcement, state Attorney General, and the major credit bureaus[1].

The breach has impacted clients of social service programs in 18 Minnesota counties, and Clay County has provided notices on behalf of several other county social services agencies that use the CaseWorks system[7][9]. Those affected by the breach are offered no-cost credit monitoring services by Clay County, and they are urged to monitor their financial accounts and credit for signs of fraud or identity theft[7].

For more information or to inquire about the breach, individuals can contact the provided toll-free number and reference the engagement number B112010[1].

Citations:

1. https://claycountymn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15407/Clay-County—Website-Notice—FINAL—Clay-County-Version114721303
2. https://seculore.com/state/minnesota/12-24-2023-mn-clay-county/
3. https://claycountymn.gov/AlertCenter.aspx?AID=Notice-of-Data-Security-Incident-10
4. https://www.valleynewslive.com/2023/12/23/cyber-attack-affecting-people-clay-county-minnesota/
5. https://www.am1100theflag.com/news/local-news/72609-clay-county-continuing-to-alert-residents-to-october-2023-data-breach
6. https://co.mahnomen.mn.us
7. https://www.inforum.com/news/minnesota/clay-county-issues-2nd-notice-of-data-breach
8. https://www.mass.gov/doc/assigned-data-breach-number-31230-clay-county-mn/download
9. https://startribune.com/residents-of-18-minnesota-counties-may-have-been-affected-by-data-breach/600339454/
10. https://www.databreaches.net/clay-county-minnesota-discloses-ransomware-attack-in-october/
11. https://www.inforum.com/news/minnesota/clay-county-run-social-services-system-hit-by-ransomware-attack
12. https://www.am1100theflag.com/news/local-news/72624-clay-county-website-data-breach-impacts-residents-in-18-minnesota-counties
13. https://www.wdayradionow.com/news/local-news/71355-ransomware-attack-leads-to-cyber-incident-in-clay-county