Cyber attack forces the City of Cleveland to take IT systems offline

The City of Cleveland in Ohio said it experienced a data security incident that forced officials to take several systems offline and shut down the city hall.

 

In a post on X, 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,” reads the post.

 

The City said that while the investigation is still ongoing, preliminary findings have confirmed that taxpayer information held by the CAA and custom information held by public utility services were not compromised during the incident.

 

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 weren’t impacted by the cyber attack and residents can call 311 to get updated on the incident.

 

In a statement shared with the Recorded Future News, a city spokesperson said, “While City systems remain offline, all daytime 311 calls will be handled by after-hours operators. All internal systems and software platforms will be shut down until further notice.”

 

In an updated post, city officials confirmed that the city hall has re-opened, with a delayed start at 11 AM.

 

The City is yet to share details on who is behind the cyber attack, the nature of the attack or how the perpetrator infiltrated its systems. It has assured its residents to share more updates as and when available.