CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on a hacking attack on a North Carolina county (all times local):
12:20 p.m.
North Carolina's largest city says its computer system hasn't been affected by a hacking attack on the surrounding county.
Charlotte government officials released a statement Wednesday saying that its separate computer systems have not been affected and that it has severed direct connections to county computers. The release noted that the city and county maintain separate servers.
Mecklenburg County officials say that a hacker is seeking a ransom of more than $23,000 after freezing county computer files. Departments including the sheriff's office and code enforcement have had to use paper records for at least some of their functions.
The sheriff's office said emergency calls are processed by the city and haven't been affected.
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11:30 a.m.
A North Carolina sheriff's office is checking in arrestees by hand after a hacking attack on county government computers.
Mecklenburg County Sheriff spokeswoman Anjanette Flowers Grube said in an email that the problems don't extend to the processing of emergency calls, which is handled by the city of Charlotte. Charlotte officials have said their computers aren't affected by the hacking.
The sheriff's office also posted a message that its website wasn't able to process requests for information on jail inmates that are normally easily accessed by the public.
Mecklenburg County officials say that the hacking has affected its computer system and that a hacker is seeking a ransom of more than $23,000.
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10:30 a.m.
A deadline is approaching for one of North Carolina's largest counties to respond to a hacker who froze county servers and is demanding ransom.
Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio told reporters that local officials face a deadline of 1 p.m. Wednesday to decide whether to pay a ransom of two bitcoin, or more than $23,000.
On Wednesday morning, some county sites such as the jail inmate search function were down. Diorio said departments including the code enforcement office were using paper records.
The county issued a statement on Twitter Wednesday asking residents to contact county offices before visiting to see whether they are offering services.
Diorio said leaders are working with a technology consultant and haven't ruled out paying the ransom. Charlotte officials say city government computers haven't been hacked.