City of Hamilton hit by ransomware, shuts down multiple services
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The City of Hamilton, Ontario reports that they are a victim of a ransomware attack starting February 25, 2024. The attack led to the temporary suspension of several city services, including tax services, telephone lines, transit, and Ontario Works and Special Supports.
All committee meetings were postponed due to a lack of internet access in council chambers.
The city's officials took "precautionary system changes," resulting in shutting down of the website, Hamilton.ca, along with its various extensions and related websites. The city clarified that the website outage on March 10 was not due to a new cybersecurity incident but rather the adjustments made to counter the ongoing ransomware attack. Although Hamilton.ca appeared to be operational shortly after, other services like Engage Hamilton, Open Hamilton, and recreation sites remained inaccessible.
City Manager Marnie Cluckie stated that a dedicated team of experts is working to restore the affected computer systems securely. She reassured the public that system restorations would proceed only upon ensuring their safety and security.
As of March 9, critical services like curbside waste collection, transit, and emergency services were reported to be functional, highlighting the city's efforts to mitigate the attack's impact while striving towards full operational restoration.
No details are disclosed about any data breached or impacted individuals.
