September 2022 - CORSA-broadcast

Business Email Compromise: The $43 Billion Scam
by Frank Hatfield Dec. 13, 2024

Dec. 13, 2024

Business Email Compromise/Email Account Compromise (BEC/EAC) is a sophisticated scam that targets both businesses and individuals who perform legitimate transfer-of-funds requests. The scam is frequently carried out when an individual compromises legitimate business or personal email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion to conduct unauthorized transfers of funds. The scam is not always associated with a transfer-of-funds request. One variation involves compromising legitimate business email accounts and requesting employees' Personally Identifiable Information, Wage and Tax Statement (W-2) forms, or even crypto currency wallets. Losses associated with BEC scams quadrupled last year to an astonishing $43 Billion according to the FBI statistics below. Just last week about $4 million in federal funding intended for housing assistance in Kentucky was stolen after someone directed that money to a private bank account. (Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/29/politics/kentucky-4-million-cyber-theft/inde… ) "These types of attacks can be especially impactful to state and local governments that may do business with dozens, if not hundreds, or different vendors," Hassold, who is now director of threat intelligence at cybersecurity firm Abnormal Security, told CNN. FBI SUGGESTIONS FOR PROTECTION * Use secondary channels or two-factor authentication to verify requests for changes in account information. * Ensure the URL in emails is associated with the business/individual it claims to be from. * Be alert to hyperlinks that may contain misspellings of the actual domain name. * Refrain from supplying login credentials or PII of any sort via email. Be aware that many emails requesting your personal information may appear to be legitimate. * Verify the email address used to send emails, especially when using a mobile or handheld device, by ensuring the sender's address appears to match who it is coming from. * Ensure the settings in employees' computers are enabled to allow full email extensions to be viewed. * Monitor your personal financial accounts on a regular basis for irregularities, such as missing deposits. Source: FBI Public Service Announcement https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2022/PSA220504 CORSA is committed to keeping members informed of and protected against threats to their financial assets and systems. BEC and/or payment fraud is on the rise which creates considerable exposure to governmental entities, including CORSA members. Current technology provides sophisticated criminals the tools to create or alter checks or divert payments via BEC or social engineering. In addition to the FBI's above recommendations, CORSA strongly encourages members to enroll in the anti-fraud services Positive Pay and ACH Positive Pay. The Ohio Auditor of State also recommended enrolling in the above anti-fraud services to guard against check fraud. (See: Auditor of State Best Practices https://ohioauditor.gov/publications/bestpractices/best%20practices%20sept%…) Positive Pay is a service that essentially requires bank customers to provide their bank with a list of checks that are to be paid, while payment is withheld for any checks that don't match the customer's list. The ACH Positive Pay service allows a customer to set parameters on payments. For instance, payments that occur regularly with similar amounts can be set up to pay automatically, while any payments that fall outside normal transactions will be suspended until authorized. Most banks offer Positive Pay and ACH Positive Pay for a fee. In CORSA's experience fees vary, but customers are able to significantly lower fees through negotiation. Should you have questions regarding Positive Pay or ACH Positive Pay contact Thisbe Butcher at tbutcher(a)ccao.org<mailto:tbutcher@ccao.org> [Chart depicting Reported Loss Associated with BEC/Cryptocurrency Complaints for the years of 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.] Frank Hatfield CORSA Risk Manager fhatfield(a)ccao.org<mailto:fhatfield@ccao.org> 614-560-1474 614-220-0209 Fax www.corsa.org<http://www.corsa.org/> [cid:image002.png@01D8BD3E.0B6EC360] " The leader in providing Ohio Counties with exceptional value, service, and protection of assets." CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message (including any attachments) is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy this message and all attachments.

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Freezing and Bursting Pipes
by Jim Hale Aug. 30, 2023

Aug. 30, 2023

As a pool CORSA has all too many high severity losses every year due to freezing and bursting pipes. In fact, freezing/bursting pipes in the aggregate accounts for much of our yearly property losses as a pool. Attached is some additional information on this all too common loss for our members. Extracted from the document: "Surprisingly, ice forming in a pipe does not typically cause a break where the ice blockage occurs. It's not the radial expansion of ice against the wall of the pipe that causes the break. Rather, following a complete ice blockage in a pipe, continued freezing and expansion inside the pipe causes water pressure to increase downstream -- between the ice blockage and a closed faucet at the end. It's this increase in water pressure that leads to pipe failure. Usually the pipe bursts where little or no ice has formed. Upstream from the ice blockage the water can always retreat back towards its source, so there is no pressure build-up to cause a break. Water has to freeze for ice blockages to occur. Pipes that are adequately protected along their entire length by placement within the building's insulation, insulation on the pipe itself, or heating, are safe." James Hale, ARM-P, ARM-E Risk Control Consultant County Risk Sharing Authority 209 East State Street Columbus, OH 43215 614.246.1630 FAX 614.220.0209

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First Amendment Audits
by Frank Hatfield April 21, 2023

April 21, 2023

Over the last few years citizen activists have been conducting "First Amendment Audits" with increasing frequency. This phenomenon does not appear to be led by an organization; rather, audits are conducted by individuals interested in videoing law enforcement and other public officials and offices. Although conducted by individuals, organizations such as the ACLU provide guidance and encourage First Amendment audits. (See ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights/#i-want-to-take-pic….) Frequently, these video audits are posted online and, if a perceived First Amendment violation occurred, the videos are the basis for a civil lawsuit. Now is a good time to review and update or create, if necessary, your County's protocol with regard to citizens videoing County operations. Fortunately, counties and public offices, such as Union County, have prepared well to withstand a "First Amendment" without incident. Union County, specifically Sheriff Patton, was kind enough to share the attached memorandum regarding recent "First Amendment Audit" activity and permit it to be distributed by CORSA broadcast email. Thank you Union County. The attached is not legal advice nor should it be construed as such. Should you require a legal opinion please contact your Prosecutor's Office or legal counsel. Frank Hatfield, Esq. CORSA Risk Manager fhatfield(a)ccao.org<mailto:fhatfield@ccao.org> 614-560-1474 614-220-0209 Fax www.corsa.org<http://www.corsa.org/> " The leader in providing Ohio Counties with exceptional value, service, and protection of assets." CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message (including any attachments) is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy this message and all attachments.

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vehicle operation policy
by Jenny Phelps Oct. 28, 2022

Oct. 28, 2022

Good morning, I am wondering if anybody has a policy that specifies what to do if a person is driving a county-owned vehicle and it breaks down or has a flat tire while they're out in the field. Obviously there will be a lot of variables including the driver's occupation, where they are, time of day, etc. Thank you! Jenny Phelps Loss Control Program Coordinator office: 419-774-6318 fax: 419-774-3581 -- CONFIDENTIAL: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error, please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.

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Salary
by Michele Long Sept. 23, 2022

Sept. 23, 2022

Could you please share your county's pay schedule for employees of Common Pleas Court and Adult Probation. Thank You Michele Long, Clerk Guernsey County Commissioners 627 Wheeling Ave. Cambridge, OH 43725 Office - 740-432-9205 ********** Confidentiality Notice ********** This electronic transmission and any attached documents or other writings are confidential and are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) identified above. This message may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure under applicable law. If the receiver of this information is not the intended recipient, or the employee, or agent responsible for delivering the information to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, reading, dissemination, distribution, copying or storage of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this information in error, please notify the sender by return email and delete the electronic transmission, including all attachments from your system. All electronic transmissions sent to and from this domain (guernseycounty.org) are archived and may be viewed by other parties than the intended recipients.

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Records Requests to Boards of Elections
by Frank Hatfield Sept. 19, 2022

Sept. 19, 2022

The Ohio Secretary of State issued the attached Memorandum today to offer guidance on the recent spike in records requests submitted to county Board of Elections for various records including the disclosure of cybersecurity protocols, past-cycle election data, and personal voter contact information. Frank Hatfield CORSA Risk Manager fhatfield(a)ccao.org<mailto:fhatfield@ccao.org> 614-560-1474 614-220-0209 Fax www.corsa.org<http://www.corsa.org/> [cid:image001.png@01D8CC3F.E64F1CE0] " The leader in providing Ohio Counties with exceptional value, service, and protection of assets." CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message (including any attachments) is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy this message and all attachments.

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CORSA Risk Control Bulletin - Monthly Monitoring Reminder
by Tricia Callihan Sept. 6, 2022

Sept. 6, 2022

CORSA has contracted with SAMBA/QORTA for more than a decade to provide motor vehicle reports (MVRs) for CORSA members. CORSA pays for this service which is included as a member benefit. There is no cost to the member for this service. Please see attached Risk Control Bulletin regarding Monthly Monitoring driver list maintenance. Tricia Callihan CORSA Program Assistant Direct Dial - 614-220-7993 Cell Phone - 614-400-2088 Fax - 614-220-0209 "The leader in providing Ohio Counties with exceptional value, services, and protection of assets." [cid:image001.png@01D8C1F7.3C132480]

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