PASCAGOULA (AP) — Officials in one Mississippi city have confirmed the local government fell victim to a cyber attack on Thanksgiving.
Computer systems in the city of Pascagoula are almost all up and running again after they were infected with malware from a third-party contractor connected to city data systems on Nov. 28, Acting City Manager Frank Corder announced on Monday. No data was permanently lost and no ransom was paid to the hackers, he emphasized. Corder also reassured residents no personal information was compromised.
The hackers asked for a ransom payment and temporarily locked down email accounts, shut off phone lines and interrupted access to some critical data, news outlets reported. The attack also affected the police department, forcing officers to do paperwork by hand for the time being, police Chief Matt Chapman said. He added that all police documents are backed up and are being restored.
The city didn’t say how much money the hackers demanded.