SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Data breaches have become so widespread that “almost everyone has been a victim,” according to a cybersecurity expert.
The Seminole County Clerk of Courts said its phone systems and website were affected by a breach. As a precaution, the office disconnected its systems from outside internet access while investigating. Officials said they found no evidence of ransomware or compromised information.
The temporary shutdown may help stop an attacker from issuing additional commands, the expert said. ThreatLocker identified phishing, system misconfigurations and stolen login credentials as common sources of cybersecurity incidents.
In a separate incident, the Florida Department of Education said last Monday that it discovered a breach involving its financial aid website. The department warned that Social Security numbers belonging to students may have been exposed, with nearly 5 million people potentially affected.
The expert cautioned that scammers could exploit the incident by sending convincing emails that ask recipients to update their account details and lead them to fraudulent websites.
Anyone who may be affected should consider placing a credit freeze with the major credit bureaus and remain cautious of phishing messages, the expert said. As a broader safeguard, the expert recommended adopting a “Zero Trust” strategy—deny access by default and grant it only when specifically authorized.
