The City of Dover, Delaware declares a state of emergency due to potential cybersecurity breaches
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The City of Dover, Delaware, has declared a state of emergency following multiple potential cybersecurity breaches affecting critical city systems.
Mayor Robin Christiansen initiated the emergency declaration effective 8 a.m. Wednesday 29th of January 2025, after receiving notification from an undisclosed external entity about possible IT system compromise. The situation escalated by an additional cybersecurity issue involving the city's payroll system. The compromised systems may affect:
- emergency services operations,
- utility services including service to Dover Air Force Base, a major utility consumer),
- public services,
- employee personal information,
- customer data,
- payroll systems.
The city administration has not disclosed the nature of the attack, the number of affected individuals or the extent of data compromise.
Mayor Christiansen has implemented emergency measures that authorize engagement of external resources for investigation and remediation, performance of necessary public work, entry into emergency contracts, employment of temporary workers or contractors, and implementation of additional regulations as needed.
The emergency declaration will remain in effect until all issues have been properly addressed and preventive measures have been implemented to protect against future incidents.
