Cyber Event Info
Catawba County Issues Notice of Data Security Incident Catawba County (“the County”) identified a data security incident that may have affected personal or health information. Catawba County has no indication that this information has been or will be misused at this time, and is notifying impacted individuals regarding the incident, measures taken in response, and detailed steps that impacted individuals can take. The protection, privacy, and proper use of personal data is a top priority for Catawba County. Catawba County identified unauthorized activity in its computer network on or about September 19, 2025. Upon discovering the attack, the County immediately activated its incident response procedures, secured its network, engaged nationally recognized third-party cybersecurity experts to harden and enhance its data security and commenced a comprehensive investigation. Emergency response and other critical public safety services remained operational throughout the incident. Catawba County has since diligently worked to determine what happened and what information was involved as a result of this incident. Unfortunately, these types of incidents have become increasingly common and even organizations with the most sophisticated IT infrastructure available are affected. The investigation determined that the incident likely occurred between September 12, 2025 and September 19, 2025 and that certain personal or health information could have been subject to unauthorized activity. The elements of personal or health information that may have been impacted as a result of this incident vary by individual and potentially included: full name, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, financial account information, medical information, and health insurance information. As of this writing, Catawba County has not received any reports from individuals of misuse, identity theft or fraud related to the incident. As data incidents are increasingly common, Catawba County encourages you to always remain vigilant, monitor your accounts, and immediately report any suspicious activity or suspected misuse of your personal information. Catawba County understands the inconvenience or concern this incident may cause, is committed to ensuring the security of all information in its control and has taken steps to strengthen its security posture. Catawba County is mailing notification letters to individuals whose information may have been involved to share information on what occurred, and to outline the information that could have been compromised and available security protection resources including complimentary credit monitoring and access to a toll-free phone number where people can learn more about the incident. Individuals who receive notification letters are encouraged to carefully review the information provided and follow the recommended steps outlined in the letter. The dedicated toll-free information hotline can be reached at: 866-898-7846, and is available Monday through Friday from 8AM to 8PM EST. Steps Individuals Can Take to Protect Personal Information Monitoring: You should always remain vigilant and monitor your accounts for incidents of fraud and identity theft by reviewing credit card account statements and monitoring your credit report for suspicious or unusual activity. You can report suspicious activity to financial institutions or law enforcement. Fraud Alert: You can place fraud alerts with the three major credit bureaus by phone and online as set forth below with Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian. A fraud alert tells creditors to follow certain procedures, including contacting you, before they open any new accounts or change your existing accounts. For that reason, placing a fraud alert can protect you, but also may delay you when you seek to obtain credit. Initial fraud alerts last for one year. Victims of identity theft can get an extended fraud alert for seven years. Credit Report: Consumers are also entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report: visit www.annualcreditreport.com; call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228; or mail a completed Annual Credit Report Request Form (available at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports) to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5281. Security Freeze: You have the right to place a security freeze on your credit report. A security freeze is intended to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. To place a security freeze on your credit report, you need to make a request to each consumer reporting agency. You may make that request by certified mail, overnight mail, regular stamped mail, or by following the instructions found at the websites listed below. The following information may need to be included when requesting a security freeze: (1) full name, with middle initial and any suffixes; (2) Social Security number; (3) date of birth; (4) current and addresses for the past five years; (5) proof of address; (6) Social Security Card, pay stub, or W2; or (7) government-issued identification card. It is essential that each copy be legible, display your name and current mailing address, and the date of issue. It is free to place, lift, or remove a security freeze. You may also place a security freeze for children under the age of 16. You may obtain a free security freeze by contacting any one or more of the following national consumer reporting agencies:
Implementing an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) with the IRS: To help protect against a fraudulent tax return being filed under your name, we recommend implementing an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) with the IRS. An IP PIN is a six-digit number that prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The IP PIN is known only to you and the IRS. It helps the IRS verify your identity when you file your electronic or paper tax return. Even though you may not have a filing requirement, an IP PIN still protects your account. If you don't already have an IP PIN, you may get an IP PIN as a proactive step to protect yourself from tax-related identity theft. The fastest way to receive an IP PIN is by using the online Get an IP PIN tool found at: https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin. If you wish to get an IP PIN and you don’t already have an account on IRS.gov, you must register and validate your identity. Spouses and dependents are eligible for an IP PIN if they can pass the identity verification process. Some items to consider when obtaining an IP PIN with the IRS: (1) an IP PIN is valid for one calendar year; (2) a new IP PIN is generated each year for your account; (3) logging back into the Get an IP PIN tool, will display your current IP PIN; and (4) an IP PIN must be used when filing any federal tax returns during the year including prior year returns. Fair Credit Reporting Act: Individuals interacting with credit reporting agencies have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage you to review your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by requesting information in writing from the Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Federal Trade Commission: More information can be obtained by contacting the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Response Center, 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20580 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338) www.ftc.gov/idtheft. For Massachusetts residents: You can obtain a police report if you are a victim of identity theft. For Iowa residents: You can report any suspected identity theft to law enforcement or to the Attorney General. For Oregon residents: You can report any suspected identity theft to law enforcement, including the Attorney General, and the Federal Trade Commission. For Vermont residents: If you do not have internet access but would like to learn more about how to place a security freeze on your credit report, contact the Vermont Attorney General’s Office at 802-656-3183 (800-649-2424 toll free in Vermont only). Residents of the below states can obtain additional information regarding identity theft and more at:
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