Suisun City, Calif. grapples with cyber incident amid rise in attacks on local governments

As noted by Infosecurity Magazine, Suisun City in California is experiencing a significant cyber incident, which has led to a state of emergency declaration. This event is part of a broader trend of cyberattacks targeting local government entities across the United States.

The cyber incident at Suisun City began around 5:45 a.m. on August 7, when malicious software infected the city's IT network. This disruption has impacted critical services including 911 call routing, police and fire dispatch, and access to records. In response, the city shut down its entire IT network to contain the threat and preserve evidence for a federal investigation, leading to the temporary unavailability of online services and internal operations. City Hall remains closed, affecting various city departments. Police and fire services can still respond to 911 calls via Solano County dispatch.

The city has not confirmed the nature of the attack, though indications suggest it may be ransomware-related. This incident follows similar attacks on the City of Coweta, Oklahoma, and Washburn County, Wisconsin, highlighting a pattern of threat actors targeting local government infrastructure, which often operates with limited resources. Experts note that these attacks are not outliers but part of a larger trend.

Source: Infosecurity Magazine