The City of Frederick is working to investigate claims by a group associated with ransomware attacks that it accessed the city’s computer network.
City officials took immediate action to secure the network and notified law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to a press release issued Tuesday evening. The city is working with nationally recognized digital forensics and incident response experts to investigate, including whether the network was breached and what personal information, if any, may have been affected.
The city said it would promptly notify affected individuals if officials learn of any personal information affected by the incident, providing affected individuals with specific steps to protect their personal data.
City officials learned of the allegations on July 14, but systems showed no evidence of ransomware or data encryption.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received 3,729 ransomware reports in 2021, with adjusted losses of over $49.2 million. Those targeted included municipalities and government facilities. There were also 979 reports of computer intrusions in 2021, causing losses of over $19.6 million.
Those with questions about the incident can contact Frederick Police Sgt. Bob Bedsaul at rbedsaul@frederickco.gov.
