About Gooding County, Idaho
Gooding County, Idaho, recently experienced a significant data breach. The breach involved unauthorized access to the county’s computer network, affecting personal information maintained by the county. With 3,253 individuals impacted, including one resident of Maine, the breach has raised concerns about information security and data protection. The incident occurred between March 22 and March 25, 2025, and was discovered on June 16, 2025.
What Happened
On March 25, 2025, the County detected ransomware on our computer network. As soon as we learned this, we immediately launched an investigation with assistance from nationally recognized third-party cybersecurity and data forensics consultants to secure our network and investigate the scope of the incident. We also alerted federal law enforcement. Through our investigation, we determined that cyber criminals accessed our network between March 22 and March 25, 2025, and took certain County data. We then conducted a thorough review of that data to determine: (1) what information was involved; and (2) who may have been affected. On June 16, 2025, we completed that review and began working on individual notifications.
The breach involved a ransomware attack detected on March 25, 2025. Cyber criminals accessed the network between March 22 and March 25, 2025, taking certain county data. A total of 3,253 individuals were affected, with notifications starting on July 11, 2025.
Next Steps
Affected individuals are advised to remain vigilant for potential fraud and identity theft. Regularly reviewing account statements and credit reports is recommended to detect any suspicious activity. The county has already notified federal law enforcement and is taking steps to secure its network and prevent future incidents. Individuals should report any suspicious activities to local law enforcement and credit bureaus.
Identity Theft Protection Services
Gooding County is offering 12 months of complimentary identity theft protection services through Experian. This includes credit monitoring and identity restoration services, along with up to $1 million in identity theft insurance. Affected individuals are encouraged to enroll by the specified deadline to take advantage of these services. Experian IdentityWorks provides continuous support for identity restoration and additional resources for identity protection.