FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Florence County saw a record number of hackers in recent weeks try to crack into the system.
Florence County’s Information Technology or IT team successfully blocked the cyberattacks before any damage was done.
Officials said the county has a guarded and well-protected network, but that didn’t stop hackers from attempting to invade the system.
Florence County IT Director Chip Snow said in November that they blocked nearly 250,000 cyberattacks.
Snow said they can shut down about 25,000 attacks every month.
He added that November’s record number was quite the shock.
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Officials tell me hackers can get into a network and completely disrupt the system, including stealing sensitive data and making you pay to get it back.
“They’re mostly automated attacks pretty much constantly from attackers all over the place. We don’t know where they come from,” said Snow.
Snow said Florence County has a layered defense system in place to protect their network and sensitive data.
He said it would have been bad news had those hackers breached the system.
“A lot of times they lay low for a while and see how far they can spread throughout your network. And then they can either take data out or they can, you know, ransomware, the network can lock out of all your data and make you pay to get it unencrypted. There’s really nothing they can’t do once they get in,” said Snow.
Some counties and cities across the state fell victim to hackers in 2025.
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A cyber-attack on an Upstate city led to the theft of public funds.
Governor Henry McMaster announced last month the creation of the new Center for Cybersecurity at the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA).
Officials said the center will lead the implementation of South Carolina’s statewide cybersecurity strategic plan. The plan was developed from a multi-year, comprehensive study completed in 2024 that evaluated the state’s cybersecurity needs, assets, and challenges.
“Cybersecurity has been a priority in South Carolina for years, and the creation of the new Center ensures that our work moves forward with greater coordination and focus,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “By aligning and strengthening the efforts of our partners across the state, we are building a more secure and resilient cyber future. This will help protect our people, support our businesses, and enhance our long-term competitiveness.”
Florence County Council Chairman William Schofield said he’s thankful to have an IT department that’s always watching.
“That’s your first line of defense, is our I.T. Department with blocking that. And, you know, I couldn’t be prouder of, the staff that we have in Florence County. And the software that they’ve implemented into play for us. Because, I mean, there’s nothing like having a defensive line that that’s, you know, 300 pounds and blocking everything that comes your way,” said Schofield.
He added that employee training plays a vital role in preventing a system from being hacked, as well.
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“A good learning point for a lot of people in a lot of other towns and even just, you know, regular citizens and individuals throughout our county and throughout our country. I mean, when you get those, those phishing emails, they come in and, and they may look like they come from somebody. It’s just don’t click on them. But, you look at the email address because the email address is the bogus part, and that’s them throwing out multiple emails, just trying to get something through the system,” said Schofield.
