Winston-Salem strengthened cybersecurity measures, officials say
Winston-Salem strengthened cybersecurity measures, officials say
https://www.wxii12.com/article/winston-salem-cyber-security-update/70271870
Publish Date: 2026-02-06 14:42:00
Source Domain: www.wxii12.com
Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.
Winston-Salem has strengthened cybersecurity measures following attack, officials say
ANYTHING CHANGES. POLICE SAFE TRAVELS AS YOU’RE HEADING OUT THE DOOR. THE TIME IS 603. YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS. IT’S BEEN ALMOST TWO WEEKS SINCE A LOT OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM IN THAT TRADITIONAL SETTING. YEAH, THIS IS REALLY IMPACTED. A LOT OF PEOPLE. GUILFORD COUNTY IN PARTICULAR, SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAY THAT THEY ARE OPENING ON A TWO HOUR DELAY THIS MORNING, BUT THEY HAVE A WARNING FOR FAMILIES THAT SCHOOL BUSSES STILL CANNOT GET TO SOME ROADS. YEAH, A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU PARENTS HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAYS SOME BUS STOPS MAY BE CHANGED AND BUSSES MAY BE EVEN LATE. TODAY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS A LIST OF MORE THAN 100 AREAS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED. YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THAT LIST RIGHT NOW BY SCANNING THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN. NOW, IF YOUR CHILD’S BUS STOP IS INACCESSIBLE, GCS SAYS PARENTS SHOULD BRING THEIR STUDENT TO THE NEAREST CORNER TO BE PICKED UP BY THE BUS. THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES WILL ALSO BE ON THE HERE COMES THE BUS APP, SO PLEASE KEEP A CLOSE EYE THERE. WE’LL ALSO LET YOU KNOW IF WE GET ANY UPDATES. WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE WXII 12.COM NOW WILKES COUNTY SCHOOLS. ALSO GOING BACK TODAY. THERE’S THEY ARE ON A THREE HOUR DELAY. IT SAYS IT’S TRYING SOMETHING IT HASN’T DONE IN MANY YEARS. IT’S GOING TO RUN ON LIMITED BUS ROUTES WHICH ARE ALSO POSTED ON ITS WEBSITE. RIGHT NOW. SCHOOL BUSSES WON’T HEAD OUT TO PICK UP STUDENTS UNTIL 845 THIS MORNING. HEADS UP FOR YOU PARENTS. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAYS SHOULD CONDITIONS WARRANT A CHANGE, A DECISION WILL BE MADE BY AROUND 8:00 THIS MORNING. SO IF YOUR STUDENT CAN’T GET TO SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE TRAVEL CONDITIONS TODAY, DON’T WORRY, YOU CAN CONTACT THE SCHOOL FOR AN EXCUSED ABSENCE. NOW, MEANWHILE, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WERE MENTIONING EARLIER WANYA OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE STILL TRYING TO WORK AROUND CLEARING OUT THOSE CAMPUSES AND WAITING FOR JUST THE ICY ROADS TO THAW OUT. HOPEFULLY THIS WEEKEND WILL HELP THEM DO THAT. SOME SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT ARE CLOSED TODAY ARE SHARING PLANS ABOUT WHEN THEY MAY REOPEN, AND ALSO PLANS FOR THOSE MAKEUP DAYS. SO WINSTON-SALEM FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOLS IS OUT OF REMOTE LEARNING DAYS. IT PLANS TO MAKE UP TODAY ON APRIL 6TH. MOUNT AIRY CITY SCHOOLS WILL MAKE UP TODAY’S SNOW DAY ON APRIL 7TH. OFFICIALS WITH THAT DISTRICT SAY FAMILIES WHO COULD NOT PICK UP FOOD ON WEDNESDAY SHOULD TEXT THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER. YOUR ENROLLED STUDENTS NAMES, SCHOOLS AND YOUR ADDRESS BY 10:00 THIS MORNING, AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS IS CLOSED TODAY. IT SAYS ITS ADMINISTRATORS WILL MEET ON SUNDAY AND ANNOUNCE A DECISION BY 5 P.M. THAT DAY. YOU CAN FIND THE FULL LIST OF DELAYS AND CLOSURES RIGHT NOW ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN, AND ON THE FREE WXII 12 NEWS APP. THE COLD WEATHER IN GREENSBORO PUTTING A STRAIN ON THE CITY’S WATER SYSTEM. EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE REPORTED ON A WATER MAIN BREAK IMPACTING YOUR MORNING COMMUTE, AND WHEN WE RAN THAT STORY, AUDREY MADE ME, YOU KNOW, INTERESTED IN KNOWING CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THESE BACK TO BACK WINTER WEATHER SYSTEMS ARE IMPACTING THE CITY’S WATER SYSTEM. HERE’S WHAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND OUT. WE HAVE RESPONDED TO AND REPAIRED 41 BROKEN WATER MAINS. AS OF YESTERDAY, WE HAD EIGHT BROKEN WATER MAINS ALONE THAT WE REPAIRED. PATRICK SMITH IS THE OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR WATER RESOURCES IN GREENSBORO AND SAYS WHEN TEMPERATURES DROP, THAT RESTRICTS THE PIPES AND WHEN TEMPS RISE, THAT CAN CAUSE ISSUES WITH PIPES AS WELL. AFTER COLD TEMPERATURES. RIGHT NOW, SMITH SAYS HIS TEAM IS UNDER AN OPERATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY, MEANING EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO FIX THE WATER MAIN BREAKS THAT POP UP. SO WHAT CAN THE CITY DO TO AVOID THESE WATER MAIN BREAKS? I POSED THAT QUESTION TO SMITH. HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY AS IT RELATES TO THE WATER MAINS. THERE’S REALLY NOTHING WE CAN DO TO AVOID IT OTHER THAN OUR ACTIVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH REPLACES OLD INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WE’RE DOING. BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE HAVE A LOT OF PIPE. WE HAVE 1500 MILES OF WATER PIPE. SO WE’RE ACTIVELY REPLACING MAINS EACH YEAR. AND SOME OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS NEARING 100 YEARS OLD. IF YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER, THERE IS A RESOURCE YOU CAN USE CALLED SMART METERS IN GREENSBORO TO HELP YOU SPOT ISSUES WITH YOUR WATER PIPES. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT BY GOING TO THE CITY’S WEBSITE. NEW ON YOUR FRIDAY MORNING, A STRING OF BUSINESS CLOSURES IN GREENSBORO HAS LEFT MANY PEOPLE WONDERING WHAT’S GOING ON. MORNING REPORTER AARON BURNETT IS SEEKING ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION. SHE JOINS US NOW LIVE IN STUDIO. SO AARON, GOOD MORNING. WHAT ARE BUSINESS OWNERS AND LEADERS SHARING WITH YOU, FROM BELOVED RESTAURANTS TO LOCAL STAPLES, BUSINESS OWNERS TELL ME IT’S NOT JUST ONE THING THAT’S LEADING TO FOLKS CLOSING THEIR DOORS, AND IT’S SPARKING A BIGGER AND REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT COMMUNITY SUPPORT. RED CINEMA MCCOOL’S PUBLIC HOUSE DAMES, CHICKEN AND WAFFLES. JUST A FEW GREENSBORO GO TO’S THAT CLOSED THEIR DOORS AT THE END OF JANUARY. BUT IT’S NOT AN ANOMALY. YOU KNOW, THERE’S A LOT OF FACTORS IN THE IN THE NATION THAT RESTAURANTS ARE SEEING, AND IT ALL HIT AT ONCE FOR US. ANOTHER SOUTH ELM STREET STAPLE STILL IN SCHOOL, ANNOUNCED IT WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS IN JULY AFTER FIVE YEARS. BUSINESS LAST YEAR WAS PROBABLY THE WORST IT’S BEEN IN THE FIVE YEARS OF BEING OPEN. EVEN DURING COVID, IT WASN’T AS BAD AS IT WAS IN 2025, CO-OWNER TARA REEVES SAYS. FOOD COSTS AND LESS DOWNTOWN FOOT TRAFFIC WERE JUST TWO FACTORS, AND BACK TO BACK WINTER STORMS DIDN’T HELP. WHEN I SAW THE SECOND ONE COMING, I JUST BROKE DOWN. I SENT A SCREENSHOT OVER TO SEAN. I WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? REEVES SHARED HER EXPERIENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, FUELING A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT THE STRUGGLES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DOWNTOWN. AND THERE ARE SO MANY FACTORS. IT CAN BE LANDLORDS, IT CAN BE THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY. IT CAN BE MARKETING ASPECTS. IT CAN BE JUST YOUR WE JUST DECIDED NOT TO DO IT ANYMORE. WHEN THE SNOW MELTS, WE’VE GOT CABIN FEVER. WE’RE GOING TO WANT TO GET OUT THERE AND I HOPE FOLKS WILL GET OUT THERE AND COME SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS. MATHENY SAYS HE’S GETTING ADVICE FROM LEADERS IN NEARBY CITIES LIKE CHARLOTTE AND DURHAM THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH SIMILAR TIMES. HE’S ALSO THINKING ABOUT NEW WAYS TO GENERATE BUSINESS DOWNTOWN, BUT HE DOESN’T THINK THAT THIS CLOSING SURGE WILL LAST LONG. HE SAYS THEY EXPECT TEN NEW BUSINESSES TO COME TO THIS AREA AT THIS YEAR AS WELL, REPORTING LIVE REPORTING IN THE STUDIO. I’M ERIN BURNETT, WXII 12 NEWS. THANKS SO MUCH, ERIN. AND IT’S TIME NOW TO TAKE A LIVE LOOK OVER MILAN, ITALY, WHERE EXCITEMENT FOR THE 2026 WINTER OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY IS CERTAINLY IN THE AIR. SO THE 2026 MILAN-CORTINA WINTER OLYMPICS OFFICIALLY KICK OFF TONIGHT. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MILAN IS BUZZING WITH EXCITEMENT, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE OLYMPIC TORCH MADE ITS DEBUT. WE’RE CHECKING IN NOW WITH JAY GRAY HAS THE LATEST FROM MILAN ON THE FINAL PREPS AHEAD OF TONIGHT’S CELEBRATION. FOR MONTHS, THEY PRACTICED INSIDE THIS GIANT TENT AND OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, FOR NINE HOURS OR MORE EVERY DAY, 1200 VOLUNTEER PERFORMERS FROM 27 COUNTRIES WHO WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE DURING TONIGHT’S OPENING CEREMONY. SO TO ACTUALLY GET TO BE ON THE FIELD IS SUCH A CRAZY FEELING. SO YEAH, I’M DEFINITELY A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, BUT I’M ALSO VERY EXCITED AND WE ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING SUPER HARD, SO I THINK IT WILL ALL WORK TOGETHER. WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE CAST OF SUPERSTARS INCLUDING ITALIAN TENOR ANDREA BOCELLI AND POP LEGEND MARIAH CAREY, THE THEME OF THE CEREMONY HARMONY WITH A NOD, ORGANIZERS SAY TO ITALIAN EXCELLENCE, CREATIVITY AND OF COURSE, FASHION. WHAT THEY WON’T SAY. LOOKING TO KEEP THE SHOW A SURPRISE IS WHAT WILL SEE. LEAVING EVEN LOCALS WONDERING. I HAVE NO EXPECTATION, BUT I’M PRETTY SURE THIS WILL BE FANTASTIC. YOU SAY. YOU SAY WE DO NOW. NO. BOBSLEDDER, U.S. ARMY SERGEANT AND ITALIAN AMERICAN FRANK DEL DUCA. TJ GOT NOMINATED AS THE FEMALE FLAG BEARER, ALONG WITH SPEED SKATER AARON JACKSON, WERE GIVEN THE HONOR BY THEIR FELLOW OLYMPIANS OF CARRYING THE FLAG AND LEADING TEAM USA DUR
Winston-Salem has strengthened cybersecurity measures following attack, officials say
Updated: 2:46 PM EST Feb 6, 2026
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Winston-Salem city officials said on Dec. 26, 2024, they were alerted to a potential cyber attack. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereOfficials said the city acted immediately to protect its systems. The city, with assistance from state and federal agencies, investigated the incident and determined the attacker gained access to certain city systems and copied specific information without permission, officials said. Click the video player above to watch the latest headlines from WXII 12 News.The city said it has conducted a comprehensive review of the affected data, with assistance from data review specialists, to determine what information was involved and who may be affected. Officials said the city’s IT department has taken measures to strengthen its cybersecurity measures, including: Installing advanced security tools across desktops, mobile devices, servers, applications, data files, networks, and firewalls.Collaborating closely with technical teams from the Winston-Salem Police Department, Utilities, and Department of Transportation.Implementing stricter password protocols and eliminating shared accounts.Initiating a privileged access management tool,Training programs for all city employees on how to avoid phishing, scam emails, and other topics related to the security of the system.City leaders added that all systems and data are now safe and secure, and the city is better protected than it was at the time of the attack.Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.Subscribe to WXII’s free YouTube channel hereNAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |Trending Stories:
WINSTON-SALEM — Winston-Salem city officials said on Dec. 26, 2024, they were alerted to a potential cyber attack. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here
Officials said the city acted immediately to protect its systems. The city, with assistance from state and federal agencies, investigated the incident and determined the attacker gained access to certain city systems and copied specific information without permission, officials said. Click the video player above to watch the latest headlines from WXII 12 News.The city said it has conducted a comprehensive review of the affected data, with assistance from data review specialists, to determine what information was involved and who may be affected.
Officials said the city’s IT department has taken measures to strengthen its cybersecurity measures, including:
Installing advanced security tools across desktops, mobile devices, servers, applications, data files, networks, and firewalls.Collaborating closely with technical teams from the Winston-Salem Police Department, Utilities, and Department of Transportation.Implementing stricter password protocols and eliminating shared accounts.Initiating a privileged access management tool,Training programs for all city employees on how to avoid phishing, scam emails, and other topics related to the security of the system.City leaders added that all systems and data are now safe and secure, and the city is better protected than it was at the time of the attack.Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.Subscribe to WXII’s free YouTube channel hereNAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |Trending Stories:
