City of Cleveland forced to keep City Hall closed following a ransomware attack

The City of Cleveland in Ohio said it suffered a ransomware attack that forced officials to take several systems offline and shut down the city hall.

 

Earlier this month, Cleveland officials said that the City has been a victim of a cyber attack that has affected several systems in its internal network. Immediately, an investigation was launched, with assistance from external cyber security experts, to determine the nature and scope of the incident.

 

“City Hall and Erieview are closed today June 10, except for essential staff, as we investigate a cyber incident. We have shut down affected systems to secure and restore services,” the City announced on X.

 

In a separate post, the City said that emergency services like 911, police, fire, water and pollution control, Cleveland Public Power, healthcare (EMS), and Cleveland Hopkins and Burke Lakefront Airports were not impacted by the cyber incident.

 

Officials added that municipal courts were not impacted by the cyber attack and residents can call 311 to get updated on the incident.

 

In a recent announcement, City officials said that City Hall will be closed on Tuesday because of the ongoing problems from a ransomware attack on the city’s internal systems.

 

“The ransomware attack was uncovered more than a week ago and City Hall has been closed during that time as the city deals with the fallout. The city has not said how long the closure could drag on, but efforts have taken weeks, even months, in other U.S. cities that have fallen victim to similar attacks. Some cities have paid millions to restore their systems,” reads the announcement.

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ohio National Guard’s Cyber Reserve Unit have been assisting city IT officials to recover from the attack.

 

Officials assured that residents can receive some services online, such as submitting applications for building and housing permits, certificates of disclosures, and lead certificates. Residents requesting birth or death certificates can submit applications online with the Ohio Department of Health.