WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners voted Wednesday to spend more than $28,000 on new software to make their computer systems safer from hackers.

The move comes just weeks after the county dealt with a cyberattack that could have stolen important data.

Commissioners Denny Malloy, Rick Hernandez and Tony Bernard approved the deal during their regular meeting. They agreed to buy multi-factor authentication software from CBTS Technological Solutions LLC. This tool adds an extra step to log in, such as entering a code sent to your phone, to prevent unauthorized access.

The cost is $20,160 for 400 licenses, plus $7,918 for help setting it up. The money comes from the county’s general fund.

This decision follows a recent scare in November. Hackers broke into a third-party software vendor used by the county recorder’s office. They tried to get into Trumbull County’s network to steal information.

But county tech experts, with help from GuidePoint Security LLC, stopped them in time. No data was lost or damaged, officials said.

Trumbull County Auditor Martha Yoder shared the news in a November news release that the breach was found about two weeks earlier, and experts started checking the system Nov. 14. Since Nov. 15, there have been no signs of more trouble.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Malloy called the new software a smart step to stay ahead of hackers.

“This is a precautionary measure, not a reactive measure to a crime that’s occurred,” he said.

He added that it’s like looking both ways before crossing the street in today’s online world.

Hernandez thanked the IT team for catching the problem early. “We didn’t lose any information,” he said.

Bernard noted that cyberthreats are a big issue across the state and nation. “We’re ahead of the game to correct a potential problem,” he said.

The county has faced cyber issues before. Hackers stole more than $160,000 from Bazetta Township in 2024 by faking emails and changing bank details. That happened because multi-factor authentication was turned off and changes weren’t checked in person or by phone.

Officials hope the new rules and software will prevent future attacks. They now require extra checks for any money changes and make sure multi-factor authentication stays on for all accounts.