New Bedford Police Hit With Ransomware Attack

NEW BEDFORD — New Bedford Police were hit with a ransomware attack early Thursday morning that impacted a number of department servers and computers, according to a statement from the mayor's office.

No other city departments were affected by the attack, and the 911 system continued to function, although the police department's non-emergency phone network was deactivated for a short period, the statement noted.

Cybersecurity consultants think that no data was accessed or extracted in the attack, and no ransom demand was received.

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In 2019, the city of New Bedford was hit with a ransomware attack that crippled servers and systems across city departments.

Unlike the previous attack, this morning's incident did not use the RYUK virus.

"A forensic investigation to determine the origin of the current attack is underway," the statement read.

Restoration of data from backups is underway as part of the city's cybersecurity response plan, and the measures are expected to resolve impacts.

Officials have already notified federal law enforcement of the attack.

"Current plans for security enhancements will be adjusted if necessary, depending on the findings of the forensic investigation," the statement noted.

According to the mayor's office, cybersecurity consultants attributed the fast response and isolation of the ransomware problem to the city's "robust investments in cyber defenses."

Insurance will cover the cost of responding to this and future cyberattacks.

"Today’s developments are a reminder that ransomware attacks are pervasive across organizations of every type, and proactive investments in cybersecurity can significantly reduce impacts in the event of an attack," the statement concluded.