South Carolina Local Governments Hit by Massive Cyberattacks in 2025, Exposing Over 500,000 Residents’ Data
In 2025, nearly a dozen local government offices and agencies across South Carolina fell victim to cyberattacks, compromising the personal information of more than 500,000 residents and resulting in the theft of public funds. Among the affected entities were Laurens School District 56, Spartanburg County, the city of Inman, and the Greer Commission of Public Works, with one breach alone exposing data for over 14,000 individuals. In December, the city of Westminster confirmed a separate attack in which hackers stole money, though officials did not disclose the amount.
The incidents highlight persistent vulnerabilities in state and local cybersecurity, particularly among smaller municipalities with limited resources. State officials, including leaders at the South Carolina Center for Cybersecurity established by Governor Henry McMaster warn that delayed investments in cybersecurity exacerbate risks. The Department of Behavioral Health alone requested $24 million to modernize its systems, while other agencies sought funding for IT upgrades and workforce development.
Experts emphasize that cyber threats often exploit human error rather than technical weaknesses, making employee training and awareness critical. The state is working to build a sustainable cybersecurity workforce pipeline, modeled after South Carolina’s success in developing workers for the automotive industry. However, budget constraints and competing priorities frequently push cybersecurity spending to the back burner until an attack occurs.
The attacks underscore the growing sophistication of cybercriminals, who target both large and small organizations with equal intensity. While larger agencies may have more robust defenses, smaller towns often lack the resources to implement adequate protections, leaving them particularly vulnerable. The financial and reputational damage from these breaches serves as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of cyber threats and the need for proactive measures.
Source: https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/02/05/cyber-criminals-steal-money-data-south-carolina-towns/
Spartanburg County Government cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/spartanburg-county-government
City of Inman cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/inman-city-of
City of Westminster, Maryland cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/city-of-westminster-maryland
Greer Commission of Public Works cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/greer-commission-of-public-works
"id": "SPAINMCITGRE1770381538",
"linkid": "spartanburg-county-government, inman-city-of, city-of-westminster-maryland, greer-commission-of-public-works",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "1/2025",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Over 14,000 individuals',
'industry': 'Education',
'location': 'South Carolina, USA',
'name': 'Laurens School District 56',
'type': 'School District'},
{'industry': 'Government',
'location': 'South Carolina, USA',
'name': 'Spartanburg County',
'type': 'County Government'},
{'industry': 'Government',
'location': 'South Carolina, USA',
'name': 'City of Inman',
'type': 'City Government'},
{'industry': 'Utilities',
'location': 'South Carolina, USA',
'name': 'Greer Commission of Public Works',
'type': 'Public Utility'},
{'industry': 'Government',
'location': 'South Carolina, USA',
'name': 'City of Westminster',
'type': 'City Government'}],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes',
'number_of_records_exposed': 'Over 500,000',
'personally_identifiable_information': 'Yes',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (personally identifiable '
'information)',
'type_of_data_compromised': 'Personal information'},
'date_detected': '2025',
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2025',
'description': 'In 2025, nearly a dozen local government offices and agencies '
'across South Carolina fell victim to cyberattacks, '
'compromising the personal information of more than 500,000 '
'residents and resulting in the theft of public funds. Among '
'the affected entities were Laurens School District 56, '
'Spartanburg County, the city of Inman, and the Greer '
'Commission of Public Works, with one breach alone exposing '
'data for over 14,000 individuals. In December, the city of '
'Westminster confirmed a separate attack in which hackers '
'stole money, though officials did not disclose the amount.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Reputational damage to local '
'governments',
'data_compromised': 'Personal information of over 500,000 '
'residents',
'financial_loss': 'Public funds stolen (amount undisclosed)',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High'},
'lessons_learned': 'Persistent vulnerabilities in state and local '
'cybersecurity, particularly among smaller municipalities '
'with limited resources. Cyber threats often exploit human '
'error rather than technical weaknesses, making employee '
'training and awareness critical.',
'motivation': ['Financial gain', 'Data exfiltration'],
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': 'Modernize systems, '
'workforce development, '
'employee training',
'root_causes': 'Delayed investments in '
'cybersecurity, limited resources, '
'human error'},
'recommendations': 'Invest in cybersecurity modernization, workforce '
'development, and employee training. Prioritize '
'cybersecurity spending to prevent attacks.',
'references': [{'source': 'South Carolina Center for Cybersecurity'},
{'source': 'Department of Behavioral Health'}],
'title': 'South Carolina Local Governments Hit by Massive Cyberattacks in '
'2025',
'type': ['Data Breach', 'Financial Theft'],
'vulnerability_exploited': 'Human error, limited cybersecurity resources'}