Suisun City Council will convene for an emergency meeting on Tuesday to consider the city’s response to demands from a “person or persons” behind a malware attack that has brought city operations to a standstill since Friday, according to the Suisun City Manager’s Office. The meeting, which is scheduled for 8 a.m., includes a closed session item on anticipated legal action. “Our records are hostage,” said Suisun City Council member Princess Washington of the cyberattack.
City Hall has been closed since Friday, when around 5:45 a.m., “a piece of malware” was detected by Suisun City’s information technology department, which is manned by two staffers and a third-party contractor, according to Michael Elm, a spokesperson for the City Manager’s Office. Elm was unable to comment on the existing demands or entity behind the cyberattack as it is currently under investigation by the FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security alongside the Suisun City Police Department and cybersecurity personnel via the city’s cybersecurity insurance plan. In an emergency meeting Saturday morning, the City Council designated City Manager Bret Prebula as the director of emergency services and declared a state of emergency — which opens up the possibility of state and federal funds to support the city while they work to resolve the matter.
As of Monday, the city was functioning remotely. In-person meetings with most Suisun City agencies were cancelled, including the Planning, Building, Housing, Water, Finance, Human Resources, and Public Works departments, as well as the City Manager’s Office and city administration. “It’s very stressful,” said Washington. “Anybody who exists in society now depends on networks and internet — even more so, a city. When I think about police dispatch, records, the ability for people to do simple things like pay a water bill? It’s hard.” Solano County dispatch is continuing to provide support for 911 calls in Suisun City, with city police and fire departments responding to calls, according to Elm. The Police Department lobby is open for ticket signoffs, vehicle releases and general assistance.
RIDICULOUS. But If you make an online “threat”…………..SWAT would be at your house in about 10 minutes.
I guess you forgot about the 2024 cyber attack on the cities of Oakley and Pleasant Hill? I don’t recall the FBI, Cal-DOJ or local PDs making an arrest in those cases. Or the Water Districts in 12 states that are currently under or attempting to recover from recent Cyber Attacks?
It is also pretty difficult to send SWAT to a location if the Cyber Criminals are not located within the jurisdiction of the United States, her territories and possessions. It is even more difficult if the Cyber Criminals are not really criminals at all but hostile state agents or state sponsored proxies.
THEN DRONE STRIKE THEM. Point is: Nothing is really anonymous. Look at all of the low level offenders caught downloading or uploading child pron.
Assuming the Doers are not using mutiple VPNs, mutiple proxy server, mutiple botnets (hijacked computers), a TOR network to hide their already spoofed IP address, I’m fairly certain if the US could ID the proximate location of the computer with some certainty, we are not going to start a war with a near peer adversary over ransomware but I guess hope spring eternal.
Don’t confuse some low level horny sex offender or angry mentally unstable teenager with a sophisticated well funded government operation using cutting edge technology and techniques.
Not ridiculous. Don’t make online threats or “threats”.
I would suggest the Les Grossman approach
I’ve seen Tropic Thunder but it was years ago.
I had to find a Youtube video to refresh my memory, I loved Les!
Yep, he’d be my choice too, to handle this mess.
Good call Bob.
(I’d have posted a link but language was a bit too extreme… even for me).