Introduction to the Cyberattack
Fort Bend County’s library system has been experiencing network outages after a cyberattack late last month. The library staff became aware of the cyberattack on February 24, and a few days later, the library announced a new website address.
Impact of the Cyberattack
The cyberattack caused a website outage, according to a library news release. Access to Hoopla – a music, video, and audiobook streaming service – was restored on Monday. The library collects patrons’ names, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and addresses when they sign up for library cards. However, library staff said there’s no evidence to suggest that this data has been compromised during the cyberattack.
Protection of Patron Data
After patrons use the library’s computers, their browsing and web data is also erased, the library said. "We want to reassure the community that the library intentionally limits the types of personal information it collects from patrons," Fort Bend County Library Director Roosevelt Weeks said in a statement. The library does not store personal information from patrons that could easily be used to commit identity theft or fraud — such as social security numbers or financial information.
Patron Experience
Stacey Cooper has lived in Fort Bend County for almost eight years and said she uses the library website multiple times per week to request books. Over the years, she’s grown accustomed to looking up books online and requesting them for pickup. Cooper noticed the outage when she tried to put some books on hold a day or two into the outage. As the website issues persisted, she became concerned. "I know if you get hacked, that takes a lot of resources to get that fixed, and I know that’s rough for libraries," she said.
Current Status and Response
The cause of the attack was still being investigated, according to the library system. Residents still could not access their accounts or the library catalog on the website. The county is waiving overdue fees until the library’s network issues are fixed. Ebooks are still available for access on OverDrive/Libby. Last week, during a special commissioners court session, the county approved up to $2.691 million in IT contracts.
Conclusion
The Fort Bend County library system is working to restore full services and ensure the security of the library’s network after the cyberattack. The library’s primary objective is to protect patron data and provide access to library resources. While the website issues persist, patrons can still access ebooks and other resources. The library is committed to transparency and communication with the community throughout this process. As the investigation continues, the library will provide updates on the status of the website and network issues.
