LITTLE GEMS
Kwik Trip provided an update on its system outage that has been plaguing the company for nearly two weeks.
Kwik Trip has confirmed that the system outage, which affected everything from the gas station’s app, website, payroll systems, and reward programs, is the result of a cyberattack. These types of attacks are becoming more prevalent.
According to the FBI, internet crimes were responsible for $6.9 billion dollars in losses in 2021. The FBI data also shows in Wisconsin, there were $15,000 in losses due to ransomware in 2021. Last year, that jumped to $286,200. There is no indication that customer payment card information was involved in the Kwik Trip outage, however. The event took place on Monday, October 9th, wherein Kwik Trip experienced a cybersecurity incident that caused disruption to systems located on the company’s internal network, including almost everything connected to the electronics system.
The incident was detected within hours and mitigation efforts began immediately with the assistance of external cybersecurity experts. As of Thursday, October 19, 2023, most internal systems were functioning, and Kwik Rewards is back online and successfully processing loyalty transactions. At this time, the Kwik Rewards app and website will remain offline (you can go in and earn your reward though), however, members will receive an update as soon as these are restored. That communication will include plans to restore any missed rewards as a result of the outage.
Wisconsin has some of the ‘most haunted’ roads in America.
Bray Road in Elkhorn is one of them. What makes this road so ‘wonderfully’ feared and no doubt haunted? The street is haunted by a wolfman-like beast called the Beast of Bray Road that prowls along it at unpredictable times. It’s been spotted, according to eyewitness accounts, kneeling over a deer, walking on its hind legs, and even reaching into the back of a truck to retrieve a road-kill deer. Several eyewitness reports of the beastly creature have been received over the years, and almost all of them describe the creature as a muscular quadrupedal hominid standing 6 feet tall with gray/brown fur. It has a wolf-like head, pointy ears, and yellow eyes. It’s often seen running on all 4 legs but can also grow erect and stand or run just using its hind legs. During the Halloween season, many locals and visitors alike make a trip down Bray Road hoping for a chance to get a glimpse of the Beast of Bray Road.
Place of the Week
Lake Geneva Ghost Walks meets in Seminary Park on weekends. Enjoy a 90-minute walking tour to hear the history and lore of Lake Geneva.
