CLEVELAND, OH — On December 24, the Ohio Lottery experienced a cybersecurity incident. The organization quickly involved experts in handling such situations to investigate and determine the extent of information affected. Law enforcement has been notified of the breach.
The lottery agency said, as the investigation into the cybersecurity incident continues, Ohio authorities emphasize their commitment to consumer data protection. If any consumer data is found compromised, measures will be taken to provide credit monitoring services to protect Ohio residents. Affected individuals will be informed promptly in compliance with relevant laws.
However, things are looking more bleak than officials are willing to offer publicly.
According to Security Week, “A seemingly new ransomware group named DragonForce took credit for the attack on December 27. The hackers claim to have stolen more than 600 Gb of data from the Ohio Lottery, including databases storing over three million records associated with employees and players.”
The incident did not impact Ohio Lottery games or the technology systems used to operate the Lottery. The integrity of these games remains uncompromised, and it is still safe to purchase tickets, the agency said.
For winnings above $599, tickets can be mailed to the Ohio Lottery Central Office in Cleveland for processing.
Efforts are underway to swiftly restore all cashing options. Prizes can be claimed within 180 days from the drawing date or the end date of the scratch-off game. For details on the final claim dates, consumers are advised to visit the Ohio Lottery’s official website.