Officials: SC General Assembly the target of cyber attacks over the last week, no sensitive data compromised

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– State officials say South Carolina’s capitol was one of the targets of a cyber attack. Senate Clerk Jeffery Gossett tells ABC Columbia News that the legislature has been impacted by the “zero-day” exploit for a period of time last Friday, when neither the House nor the Senate were in session, legislative staff were locked out of their work stations.

On Wednesday, it impacted the General Assembly’s email system. Officials say at no time was any sensitive data compromised in the attack.

According to online security firm Norton, a zero-day exploit is when cyber criminals take advantage of flaws in software security.

Senate Clerk Jeffery Gossett sent us the following statement in regards to the attack. The statement reads in part, “like many entities around the country who utilize the Microsoft exchange email system, the South Carolina General Assembly’s computer network was impacted by the zero-day exploits. We are working with state and federal law enforcement officials who are investigating.”