Ransomware Attack Disrupts DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and Courthouse Systems A ransomware attack struck DuPage County, Illinois, early Monday morning, forcing the shutdown of critical computer systems at the sheriff’s office, circuit clerk’s office, and courthouse. The incident was first detected around 2:30 a.m. when outages occurred at the Wheaton-based facilities. According to county officials, the attack has not affected the jail or other county operations, though chancery sales in the sheriff’s office have been canceled for the week. In-person court hearings are proceeding as scheduled. The FBI and U.S. Secret Service have been notified, and IT personnel are assessing the full extent of the breach. Ransomware, as defined by the FBI, is malware that locks users out of their systems or encrypts files, demanding payment for restoration. Infections often occur through malicious email attachments, links, or compromised websites. The county has not disclosed whether a ransom demand was made or if data was encrypted. The investigation remains ongoing, with no further details released at this time.