DeKalb’s COVID-19 rent assistance program targeted in cyberattack

DeKalb’s COVID-19 rental assistance program was targeted during a recent “international cyberattack,” county officials announced late Thursday.

According a press release, the targets of an attempted data breach on March 24 included a server affiliated with the county’s Tenant-Landlord Assistance Coalition program, a $21-million initiative aimed at helping renters and landlord prevent evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emails and applications previously sent to the program at renthelp@dekalbcountyga.gov were included on the server.

Officials said the county disabled that email account and disconnected the targeted server within five minutes of identifying the cyberattack, and that they are “currently unaware of any actual compromise or misuse of customers’ information.”

A criminal investigation is underway, though, and the county is working with law enforcement to “determine what, if any, information may have been accessed.”

About the Author

Atlanta plans to clear homeless camp where man was killed in earlier sweep

While Atlanta officials said they are offering housing to residents of the camp, advocates for the homeless community characterized the city’s plan as an "eviction."

Stay hydrated: Heat ramping up across metro Atlanta this week

Heat index values should stay below advisory levels on Monday but could reach the threshold on Tuesday, the National Weather Service warns.

Atlanta crypto biz owner caught up in fraud says it’s ‘like living in a James Bond movie’

Prosecutors say North Korean IT specialists are 'infiltrating' tech companies in the U.S. as remote workers to steal money from businesses and funnel it back to North Korea.

The Latest

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Atlanta plans to clear homeless camp where man was killed in earlier sweep

Stay hydrated: Heat ramping up across metro Atlanta this week

Atlanta crypto biz owner caught up in fraud says it’s ‘like living in a James Bond movie’

Featured

Credit: Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC

Unemployment in Georgia is down, but so is the labor force. Why?

Georgia’s labor force has declined by nearly 30,000 compared to May last year. Here are some reasons why.

Georgia appeals court rules election boards must certify results

The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that election board members are required to certify election results even when they have concerns about fraud or errors.

Atlanta crypto biz owner caught up in fraud says it’s ‘like living in a James Bond movie’

Prosecutors say North Korean IT specialists are 'infiltrating' tech companies in the U.S. as remote workers to steal money from businesses and funnel it back to North Korea.