New Orleans Mayor declares state of emergency following cyber attack
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 11:38 AM PT — Saturday, December 14, 2019
The city of New Orleans is still trying find the source of a cyber
attack on city computers after the threat was detected early Friday
morning. New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell has since declared a state of
emergency in the city, saying the attack put the city at “significant
risk.”Reports said suspicious activity was detected in the city’s network in the early morning. By the afternoon, investigators detected a “cybersecurity incident.” City workers were advised to disconnect from the Wi-Fi, power down their computers and unplug them.
Ransomware has been detected in the city’s network, but a ransom has yet to be demanded. The city of Baltimore ended up paying $6 million to improve their systems over the summer after a ransomware attack crippled city computers for months.
The mayor assured residents that the city’s cybersecurity is one of her administration’s top priorities.
“This is something that my administration has been leaning forward on, particularly over the past year,” stated Cantrell. “As a city, we absolutely need to invest in our infrastructure, which is also tied to cybersecurity.”
Officials said eme
The mayor assured residents that the city’s cybersecurity is one of her administration’s top priorities.
“This is something that my administration has been leaning forward on, particularly over the past year,” stated Cantrell. “As a city, we absolutely need to invest in our infrastructure, which is also tied to cybersecurity.”
Officials said emergency services and communications remain functional.
“OPCD’s operations are not impacted,” said Tyrell Morris, Executive Director of New Orleans 9-1-1. “We are in constant communication with city’s officials and safety departments to assist where we can, and to ensure we do not experience any disruptions.”
The incident is currently under investigation by local and federal authorities.
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