Jackson County plans ‘soft launch’ for key offices next week

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. (KCTV) - Jackson County officials said Wednesday they are tentatively preparing for a soft launch of a reopening for offices, including the Assessment, Collection and Recorder of Deeds office.

That soft launch, though, will not be soft launched until Tuesday, April 16, as the county said it makes “significant progress in the ongoing efforts to recover from a criminal ransomware attack.”

“Cybersecurity experts are methodically rebuilding network systems to ensure a smooth restoration process that avoids setbacks and safeguards critical data,” the county said Wednesday.

READ MORE: Jackson County officials ask customers for patience while dealing with ransomware attack

The ransomware attack began April 2 and has caused issues for more than a week now.

“We are committed to ensuring a smooth and secure recovery process for our community,” said Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. “The soft launch of key offices is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our cybersecurity team who have been working around the clock to address the challenges posed by this criminal cyberattack. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our residents as we work diligently to restore normal operations.”

Officials said there is still work to be done in the recovery process. During what the county said is a transitional period, the county said more details will soon be announced on the process for residents to receive assistance effectively and quickly.

“What we have seen other people, who have had this type of an event happen before, is they bring the system back too soon, and they reinfect themselves, and the system is brought back down for a while,” Jackson County County Administrator Troy Schulte said Monday.