Zotob Virus affects 911 Service

Jefferson County officials in Peninsula, USA, suspect that the software virus Zotob affected computer systems serving emergency and county services for about 10 hours on Friday, 19 August 2005. 911 dispatchers reported that their computer system failed at 12:45 p.m. Friday, preventing access to law enforcement information, such as arrest warrants and driving records. The computer glitch also affected 911 dispatch communication lines.

The emergency operations center required use of the backup 911 system at the Port Townsend Fire Department, which has 911 lines instead of the Dispatch Center’s 911 lines and other communications line in Port Hadlock.

County emergency dispatchers worked with on the only three available 911 phone lines and luckily there were no incident of people not being able to contact 911 during an emergency.

Reference: Peninsula Daily News Service

Updated On: 15.02.17