Nearly two years after a cyberattack crippled the city of Columbus’ computer systems and hackers leaked sensitive data on the dark web, Department of Technology Director Sam Orth is retiring before the public gets answers.
Columbus City Council honored Orth ahead of his retirement at their meeting on June 22 with a ceremonial resolution. Meanwhile, the city has still not released a promised report on how foreign cybercriminals breached the city’s computer systems before the city discovered the ransomware attack on July 18, 2024. A mayor’s office spokesperson said the incident remains the subject of litigation, so a report cannot be released yet.
“At the beginning of the cyberattack, we talked about a report,” Orth told The Dispatch ahead of the council meeting. “That was long before the lawsuits were filed. And while there’s active litigation, we’re just not in a position to communicate a report.”
A handful of anonymous city public safety personnel are appealing after a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge tossed their lawsuits against the city in October 2025. The plaintiffs accuse the city of recklessness for failing to protect employee data. Some of the data leaked online includes the full names of police officers working undercover, Social Security Numbers and information about crime victims.
Councilmember Nick Bankston, who chairs the council committee over the Department of Technology, told The Dispatch he’s still committed to getting the public a comprehensive report and holding a public hearing on the hack.
“I’m just as frustrated as the community on how long this has taken,” Bankston said. “We committed to a hearing around a report from the administration. We haven’t received that report from the administration.”
After a decade with the city, Orth’s last day as director will be June 26. He will work with the city in an advisory capacity through the rest of 2026. Orth has spent nearly three decades in public service, and he previously worked in technology for the state.
Orth oversaw Columbus’ technology department through the city, starting up a modern 311 system, a new income tax payment system, and a body-worn camera system in the Division of Police. He oversaw the city’s recovery from the cyberattack, which took months to get all systems back online.
Bankston thanked Orth for guiding the city with a “cool hand and steady hand” as the city navigated the technological challenges of shifting to work-from-home during the pandemic.
“It’s always been about the people,” Orth said. “Over the course of my career, I’ve learned the technology changes constantly, but leadership, teamwork, integrity, trust and commitment to service endure. Those qualities are what I’ve seen … especially among the women and men of the Department of Technology. They are what gives me confidence in its future.”
Government and politics reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus IT director retires with cyberattack report still pending 2 years later
Reporting by Jordan Laird, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Jordan Laird, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
