A recent cyberattack impacted the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Here’s what we know.
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FORT HALL — A cyberattack has affected the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal government.
According to a letter posted by the Fort Hall Business Council on the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Facebook page that was dated Monday, there was a data breach that “may have compromised the personal information of Shoshone-Bannock Tribes’ employees and tribal members.”
On Aug. 16, the council noticed unknown and unauthorized individuals or parties may have gained access to the systems, potentially getting personal information belonging to employees and tribal members.
“We are working diligently with the FBI Cyber Security Team and the Assistant U.S. Attorney for Idaho to investigate this incident and to prevent any further unauthorized access,” the letter said.
It’s unclear how many people this affected and whether the attack is still happening.
The letter says, “While the full scope of the breach is still being determined, the information that may have been compromised includes:”
- Full names
- Social Security Numbers
- Date of Birth
- Contact information (e.g., addresses, phone numbers, email addresses)
- Tribal affiliation information
- Employment-related information
- Direct deposit bank account information
- Any other sensitive information stored in the databases
The letter says they have taken steps to secure systems and prevent further unauthorized access, like engaging cybersecurity experts to assist with the investigation and response, enhancing security protocols and monitoring systems, and cooperating with law enforcement to identify the responsible parties.
The letter lists safety tips, including:
- Be cautious of phishing scams
- Monitor your accounts
- Obtain a free credit report
- Change passwords
- Identity theft protection
“We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause and are doing everything we can to rectify the situation and prevent future occurrences,” the letter said.
It said the investigation is ongoing.
EastIdahoNews.com has emailed Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Public Affairs Manager Echo Marshall, but the email was blocked. We also reached out through her desk phone, but it appeared the line was down, so we reached out through cellphone for more information but have not heard back.
An FBI spokeswoman told EastIdahoNews.com they are aware of the situation, but referred us to tribal government.
We reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Idaho and a spokeswoman said they are unable to comment on ongoing investigations.
Two meetings were scheduled on Tuesday for tribal members to learn updates on the issue. One was in the early afternoon, and one was scheduled at 5:30 p.m. at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel in the Chiefs Event Center.
It’s not clear if its related to the hacking incident, but the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes posted on social media that they are unable to accept electronic payments at this time and that people are asked to bring cash, a check, or a money order.
The Fort Hall Police Department posted a public notice saying they cannot release any police records until further notice and that if people need a VIN inspection, they need to contact their residing county at this time.