Sep 27, 2020
Source: NAPCO; Associated Press; Reuters
Tyler Technologies (NYSE:TYL), a major provider of software to state and local courts, reported last week (September 23, 2020) that an unknown intruder broke into its phone and information technology systems. Tyler Odyssey Courts & Justice Solutions™ provides web-based, configurable software serving courts in more than 24 states, including 14 statewide implementations in the United States. According to Tyler marketing information, Odyssey software not only focuses on court case and scheduling management concerning such applications as party information, events, warrants, and fees/fines processing but also facilitates e-filing, online dispute resolution, jury selection and access to self-represented litigant processes.
On Twitter, Tyler said it was “working to resolve as quickly as possible” a “network issue” affecting its phones and websites. “At this time and based on the evidence available to us to-date, all indications are that the impact of this incident is limited to our internal network and phone systems,” said an email to all customers and posted on the company’s website. “We currently have no reason to believe that any client data, client server or hosted systems are affected.”
However, on Saturday, September 25, 2020, Tyler posted another message on its website and in an email to customers that it had “received reports of several suspicious logins to client systems.” The company has issued a further advisory to clients to reset passwords that Tyler staff would use to access customer versions of their software.
Tyler said it was cooperating with the FBI, which has declined to comment. The company has not said which customers detected improper logins or when those suspected intrusions occurred. Tyler also provides election software systems to many counties, so the Department of Homeland Security has been alerted and is involved in the investigation.
Note: This NAPCO news alert for court leaders was partly compiled from information gathered and published by the Associated Press and Reuters news agencies on the recent Tyler data breach.