Orangeville Township, Michigan says ransomware probe found no data impact

Orangeville Township said a ransomware incident on July 26, 2025 disrupted its network, but a completed forensic review found no evidence any township data—including personal information—was accessed or exposed. The local government in Barry County, Michigan said it engaged forensic specialists, restored systems securely, and notified law enforcement. Officials have not identified a threat actor or motive.

Additional timeline details surfaced in public posts by Trustee Corey Ribble: the attack was discovered July 28; the board received its first briefing July 31; and meeting minutes noted the matter on Aug. 12. In the township’s Aug. 21 public update, Clerk Mel Risner said the investigation concluded with no data impact and credited existing cybersecurity policies and rapid IT response.

Ribble also criticized the handling and communication, saying the board and public were “kept in the dark” for days and that the supervisor told him the clerk was leading the response. While “no evidence of compromise” is the current official finding, such assessments can change if threat actors later publish stolen data; readers should note that many ransomware groups use delayed data-leak tactics. As of now, there is no public indication of a data leak tied to this incident.