West Chester Township

West Chester Township faced a second cybersecurity breach in August 2024 by the same hacking group, targeting its central email server. The incident was reported on Aug. 26, following an earlier breach on Aug. 12, which was quickly isolated. Authorities confirmed no evidence of data theft but initiated forensic analysis while collaborating with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, legal counsel, and cybersecurity experts to bolster defenses. The township emphasized media restraint to avoid empowering the hackers by disclosing their identity or dark web activities. This breach aligns with a broader trend in the region, where entities like the Butler County Sheriff’s Office (2020 phishing attack), Cincinnati’s Museum Center, Kroger, and UC Health have faced similar threats. Nationally, cybercrime losses in 2024 reached $16.6 billion, with ransomware identified as the top threat to critical infrastructure. The township’s proactive measures including system protection and FBI coordination highlight ongoing vulnerabilities in municipal digital infrastructure.

Source: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/08/26/west-chester-twp-had-second-cybersecurity-attack-within-the-month/85834087007/

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/west-chester-township-ohio

"id": "wes812082725",
"linkid": "west-chester-township-ohio",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "6/2020",
"severity": "25",
"impact": "",
"explanation": "Attack without any consequences: Attack in which data is not compromised"

{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Public Administration',
                        'location': {'city': 'West Chester',
                                     'coordinates': None,
                                     'country': 'United States',
                                     'state': 'Ohio'},
                        'name': 'West Chester Township',
                        'type': 'Local Government'}],
 'date_detected': '2024-08-26T06:45:00',
 'date_publicly_disclosed': '2024-08-26',
 'description': 'West Chester Township experienced its second potential '
                'cybersecurity breach in August 2024, targeting its central '
                'email server. The same hacking group was involved in both '
                'incidents (Aug. 12 and Aug. 26). No evidence of data theft '
                'was reported in the second breach. The township is '
                'collaborating with the FBI, legal counsel, and cybersecurity '
                'experts to investigate and strengthen defenses. A forensic '
                'analysis is underway, and measures have been taken to protect '
                'critical systems and sensitive data.',
 'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Potential (due to repeated breaches '
                                       'and media coverage)',
            'systems_affected': ['Central Email Server']},
 'initial_access_broker': {'high_value_targets': ['Central Email Server']},
 'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (forensic analysis in progress)',
 'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ['Strengthening defenses',
                                                   'Collaboration with FBI and '
                                                   'cybersecurity experts']},
 'references': [{'date_accessed': '2024-08-26',
                 'source': 'West Chester Township News Release'},
                {'source': 'The Enquirer (2022 Article on Cincinnati '
                           'Cyberattacks)'},
                {'source': 'FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Annual '
                           'Report 2024'}],
 'response': {'communication_strategy': {'media_advisory': 'Requested media '
                                                           'not to disclose '
                                                           'hacking group '
                                                           'details or dark '
                                                           'web portals to '
                                                           'avoid empowering '
                                                           'threat actors',
                                         'public_statement': True,
                                         'transparency_level': 'Limited '
                                                               '(hacking group '
                                                               'name '
                                                               'withheld)'},
              'containment_measures': ['Isolation of affected systems (Aug. 12 '
                                       'incident)',
                                       'Protection of critical systems and '
                                       'sensitive data'],
              'enhanced_monitoring': True,
              'incident_response_plan_activated': True,
              'law_enforcement_notified': True,
              'third_party_assistance': ['FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center',
                                         'Legal Counsel',
                                         'Cybersecurity Experts']},
 'threat_actor': {'type': 'Hacking Group'},
 'title': 'West Chester Township Faces Second Cybersecurity Threat by Same '
          'Hacking Group',
 'type': ['Cybersecurity Breach', 'Potential Data Breach']}