DEO introduces new tool to verify identity following cyberattack

A cyberattack on Florida’s unemployment website is keeping tens of thousands of people from logging into their accounts.

But a new tool aims to fix that.

It’s called “D-E-O Verify” and it provides a way for people to confirm their identity to get back into the Connect website.

However, many worry this problem won’t disappear.

The cyberattack is keeping people like Edna Heath from her benefits.

“You go to log in and you know, you have the right, the correct password and everything. And then it’ll tell you that, oh, you, you attempted to log in too many times, so it won’t let you log in,” Heath said.

It happens on the first login attempt.

The website then says you need to reset your pin.

But that didn’t work for Heath and many others, building to frustration.

“You can’t get anybody on the phone. Like, like, the other day I was trying to call somebody, and I was on hold. And then it connects you to the person but then we got disconnected,” Heath said.

That’s where DEO Verify comes in.

The goal is to help people verify their identity and get back in.

The Department of Economic Opportunity is sending out emails about how to access it and then a new pin to get into Connect.

“There’s a lot of people that’s really suffering,” Heath said. 

After speaking to WINK News, Heath was finally able to get back into the unemployment system.

But this isn’t the first time she’s been locked out of her account. Sometimes for days, sometimes for weeks.

“They need to do something better with the system. I don’t know, like, they need to update the system or something. I don’t know. Because the system is, it’s more failure than it is anything,” Heath said.

If you havent received that email, make sure to check your spam or junk folder.

The DEO said it will also introduce multi-factor authentication measures to make sure account stay secure and something like this doesn’t happen again.