A cyber incident in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, disrupted police-data access and property-record processing as officials investigated unauthorized activity and kept some systems offline Thursday.
“We are currently working with third party forensic specialists to investigate the extent of the unauthorized activity, which includes the root cause,” Kara Coffey, a county development coordinator, told DysruptionHub. The county said the investigation was in its earliest stages and declined to provide additional details about the incident’s nature.
The county said some systems had been restored by Wednesday. Coffey said certain affected systems remained offline Thursday as a precaution and could limit services, but the county did not identify them or provide a restoration timetable.
The county’s Register of Deeds reported an ongoing network outage Thursday. The office said it would temporarily accept only paper documents delivered in person or by mail, affecting the normal submission of deeds, mortgages, liens and other property records.
The incident first disrupted law enforcement operations Tuesday afternoon, when a county dispatcher notified officers in several jurisdictions that dispatchers could not access criminal data through the state’s IMC software, according to Patch. The software provides driving information, criminal records and active warrant information.
Chip in once
If this reporting helped you, a one-time tip helps cover hosting, tools and future investigations.
Support us monthly
A small monthly pledge keeps independent coverage and our reader tools online for everyone.
Nearly 20 law enforcement departments rely on a dozen county dispatchers working two radio channels on opposite sides of the Merrimack River. The county obtained information through other departments as a workaround, while Concord police were unaffected.
“Merrimack County Dispatch services, including call taking and emergency responses for those agencies we serve, remain fully functional,” Coffey said.
The incident follows other cyber disruptions involving New Hampshire local governments. Hillsborough County took systems offline during a 2025 cybersecurity investigation, though public safety and emergency services remained available.
Merrimack County has not disclosed whether ransomware was involved, whether it received a ransom demand or who was responsible for the unauthorized activity. Coffey said the county would notify affected individuals if its investigation determines that personal data was breached.
