Virus knocks out Colorado DMV systems

The agency hopes to be back up and running by Monday

By Linda Rosencrance

September 22, 2004 12:00 PM ET

Computerworld - A computer virus has knocked out computer systems at the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicle offices, according to a spokeswoman for the agency. As a result, no documents, identification cards or driver's licenses are expected to be issued until at least Monday, according to DMV spokeswoman Diane Reimer.
Reimer said the problem showed up at about 2:30 p.m. local time on Friday.
"Some of the staff saw something they didn't think was quite right and they knew that it was too risky to keep functioning so they shut the machines down," Reimer said. "We're working with a core group of experts; several of them are from the vendor. We're in the process of reloading fresh software and hopefully it will be up and running Monday."
She said the department's IT staff and officials from Tualatin, Ore.-based Digimarc Corp., the vendor that provides the driver's license system, worked over the weekend to correct problems. Digimarc declined to comment, referring all questions to the Colorado DMV.
Driver's license offices will be open as usual to administer written and driving tests, the DMV said, and the problem doesn't affect title and registration services at county offices. While the computers are down, Colorado driver's license offices will issue 30-day extensions to persons whose licenses expire, the DMV said.
Reimer said she doesn't believe any personal data has been lost, and she said the virus didn't affect other government agencies.

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