Leaf Thursday, April 20, 2023 Vol. 29 No. 16 • Chardon, Ohio www.geaugamapleleaf.com $1.00
Water Resources’ Email Server Breached
INSIDE
Prosecutor, Admin Exchange Verbal Blows at Emergency Meeting
By Brian Doering brian@karlovecmedia.com A breach of the Geauga County Department of Water Resources’ email server last week caused tempers to flare during an emergency Automatic Data Processing board meeting April 13. “On Wednesday, April 12, around 4 a.m., a product called CrowdStrike Falcon … began noticing possible nefarious scripts and command line activity on a critical water resource server,” said Geauga County Auditor and ADP Chief Administrator Chuck Walder, addressing Geauga County Commissioners, Prosecutor Jim Flaiz and Water Resources representatives who were present for the meeting. “Shortly before 8 a.m., ADP staff began receiving a series of serious high-priority alerts through ADP Cybersecurity Center, from CrowdStrike, indicating what appeared to be a significant and persistent threat attack on this water
ADP Steps In to Help with Russian Cyber-Attack By Amy Patterson amy@karlovecmedia.com
SCREENSHOT
Members of the Automatic Data Processing board, Geauga County Commissioners and Department of Water Resources trade jabs April 13 over an email server breach the day before.
resource server,” he continued. CrowdStrike Falcon — an endpoint cybersecurity product ADP installed on all servers and workstations on the county’s network — alerted ADP to possible nefarious
activity attempting to access and control the server, Walder said. Given the persistent nature of the critical attack, CrowdStrike automatically blocked access to the server See Breach • Page 4
After a recent cyber-attack on its email server, the Geauga County Water Resources Department has surrendered authority over its information technology systems to the county Automatic Data Processing board. The ADP board approved the move during an emergency meeting on April 17. At another emergency meeting April 13, board members argued with County Administrator Gerry Morgan and water resources personnel about the conditions leading up to the attack, See Russia • Page 5
Morrissette Park District Celebrates Earth Day Veterans Legacy Woods will be the site for Held Without Geauga Park District’s ‘1,000 Trees Earth Day Reforestation Initiative’ Bail, Hearing Set for May 3 By Brian Doering brian@karlovecmedia.com The 18-year-old student charged with bringing a handgun to West Geauga High School with plans to shoot multiple students appeared before Chardon Municipal Court Judge Terri Stupica on April 12. Stupica ordered Brandon Michael Morrissette be held without bail. The Lyndhurst resident Morrissette faces two felony charges and one misdemeanor stemming from the April 3 incident. Attorneys representing Morrissette, who earlier in the day was released from a mental See Morrissette • Page 3
Commissioners Drop Lawsuit Against ADP Board page 5
West G Supt Details Security Updates After ‘Terrifying’ Incident page 8
Childcare Center to Open New Branch In Chester page 12
Opinion page 9
Obituaries page 13
Sports pages 14-16
Sheriff’s Sales & Legal Notices By Rose Nemunaitis editor@karlovecmedia.com Geauga Park District decided to celebrate Earth Day in a big way this year — by planting 1,000 trees. “This is actually a brand new initiative for Geauga Park District,” GPD Biologist Paul Pira said of the 1,000 Trees Earth Day reforestation initiative which will be held April 20, 21, 22 at the park district’s Veterans Legacy Woods, formerly Wicked Woods Golf Course, in Newbury Township. “Natural resource See Earth • Page 6
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