LEE COUNTY, Fla. — On April 1, the Office of the Public Defender for the 20th Judicial Circuit of Florida was the victim of a malware attack.
While the agency has no evidence that any personal information contained in personnel or case files was accessed by the unauthorized actors, they encourage all employees and clients of the agency, both current and former, to respond to this incident proactively.
The Public Defender’s Office receives documents from a number of sources in providing legal representation to its clients throughout the 20th Judicial Circuit. These documents could include names, social security numbers, government-issued document numbers used to establish identity (e.g. driver’s license, identification card), and medical history information (in limited circumstances).
Employee files may contain items such as names, social security numbers, medical history information (e.g. FMLA/disability forms), and government-issued document numbers used to establish identity (e.g. driver’s license, identification card).
Please visit the agency’s website at www.PD20.org for more information, including steps anyone can take to protect their personal information.
Those with questions or in need of support may contact the Public Defender’s Office about this incident by emailing support@PD20.org.
