A report from the third-party firm Apollo will be provided in "the coming days," according to a new release issued Dec. 15.
TAD officials said the investigation is ongoing after new information surfaced from "concerned individuals" following an initial report Apollo gave on Nov. 10. The initial report showed "no evidence of a hack," but did find some "significant vulnerabilities," according to TAD chairman Tony Pompa.
Pompa said the board requested Apollo to conclude the investigation and shift to securing the network, according to the news release. The new information surfaced between Nov. 10 and Dec. 14, according to TAD officials.
The context
Chandler Crouch, who owns Chandler Crouch Realtors in Fort Worth, said a data security breach did take place. At the Dec. 14 meeting during public comments, he said the breach happened in October 2022, though TAD would not confirm a date.
Crouch said that security failure has caused private taxpayers' information, such as driver’s license numbers and possibly social security numbers and bank account information, to be exposed on the internet.
“The biggest problem I have is not that it occurred, but that is was covered up,” Crouch said.
What they’re saying
“With the pending investigation, claims made on its findings by external entities are unfounded and unsupported by the investigative firm,” a statement from TAD said. “The Tarrant Appraisal District board of directors is committed to transparency and ensuring the security of its systems. We will continue to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation to safeguard its network and maintain the trust of the entities and the public.”
