Kootenai County Discloses 2026 Ransomware Attack Impacting Personal Data Kootenai County, Idaho, has notified an undisclosed number of individuals about a ransomware attack that compromised personal information in March 2026. The breach was detected on March 30, 2026, when county officials identified unauthorized access to their network. A forensic review concluded on June 22, 2026, confirming that sensitive data defined under Idaho law was exfiltrated. Details remain limited: the county has not disclosed the number of affected individuals, the specific data exposed, or whether a ransom was paid. No ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack. In response, the county is offering free credit monitoring to eligible victims. This incident follows a 2024 breach at Kootenai Health, where ransomware group ThreeAM stole Social Security numbers and medical records of 464,088 individuals. The attack is part of a broader surge in ransomware targeting U.S. government entities. In 2026 alone, researchers have tracked 28 confirmed attacks, including: - Murray County, GA, which paid a $200,000 ransom after a May 2026 breach. - Prince George’s County, MD, hit by RansomHouse in June 2026. - Kittson County, MN, likely targeted by NightSpire in June 2026. - Middletown, OH, which disclosed a 2025 breach affecting 20,608 people, claimed by SafePay. An additional 27 unconfirmed attacks remain under investigation. Such incidents can disrupt critical services, from emergency dispatch to court records, forcing governments to weigh ransom payments against prolonged downtime and data loss risks. Kootenai County, home to roughly 170,000 residents, is Idaho’s third-most populous county.