City of Hamilton hit by ransomware attack

The City of Hamilton is facing a ransomware attack, which has had a widespread impact on city services for over a week

See also: Huber Heights: City in state of emergency after cyberattack

City Manager Marnie Cluckie first revealed the nature of the cyberattack during a virtual conference call Monday afternoon with Mayor Andrea Horwath. The call was the city's first press conference since the leak began on Feb. 25.

The ransomware attack has caused nearly all of Hamilton's phone lines , paralyzed city council and affected dozens of services, including the bus route app, WiFi library and permit applications.

The city has not provided a timeline for when the situation will be resolved. It does not believe it has access to personal data, it said. Hamilton police have been notified and will investigate the matter.

Cluckie said she is keeping absolute silence about the events that are happening, as the situation is “sensitive”, and she will not reveal the amount the attackers are demanding or where they are located.

Hamilton has insurance for cybersecurity breaches, such as a ransomware attack, she said. The city has also hired cybersecurity experts from Cipher to respond to the attack, Cluckie said. Cipher provides response services for such incidents.

See also: The city of Waynesboro was subjected to a cyberattack

Other cities have faced ransomware attacks in recent years. When the city of St. Marys fell victim to a cyberattack in 2022, lawyers advised the municipality to pay a ransom of $290,000 in cryptocurrency.

The mayor of the town of about 7,000, Al Strathdee, said the potential risk to people's data was too high to not pay. The municipality said it had spent at least $1.3 million investigating and recovering from the attack.

Services affected by ransomware attack in Hamilton

• Telephone lines
• Online systems
• Engineering services
• Cemeteries
• Libraries
• Public health
• Property taxes
• Ontario Works and special supports
• City vendors
• Transportation stations and community recycling centers
• Child care
• Relocation
• Water
• City mapping
• Recreation

See also: The city of Fayetteville, Arkansas, faces a debilitating cyberattack

What are the key preventive measures taken by municipal authorities against ransomware?

The first and most important step that municipalities take in the event of a cyberattack, such as the ransomware attack on the City of Hamilton, is to train their staff. Employees need to be aware of the tactics used by attackers, such as phishing emails, and how to recognize them. In addition, municipalities need to ensure that all equipment and software they use is up to date. The use of security tools, such as antivirus and firewalls, is also crucial. Finally, municipalities need to have a plan for recovering from ransomware incidents.

Source: cbc