In terms of the city’s response to the incident, a statement says that the city “has taken swift action to investigate, protect systems, and minimize the impact, which are key priorities as the city continues to contact the breach.” Photo Credit: Unsplash.
The city of Hamilton is experiencing a major multi-day cybersecurity incident impacting IT systems, including bus computers, websites, and phone lines.
The cybersecurity incident has reportedly been “ongoing” since Sunday, Feb. 25.
As of Wednesday night, the situation is still not resolved.
Fortunately, critical services such as transit, water, wastewater treatment, and emergency services remain operational.
However, city officials will not say if resident data has been leaked.
In a statement, the city says that “it is too early to identify what type of information has been accessed.”
The statement continues: “As the investigation and response to the situation is ongoing, the city must be sensitive about what information is shared. Once the systems are fully restored, the city will work with its advisors on any additional measures that will help prevent this from happening in the future.”
In terms of the impacts, the only working city phone line is the Customer Contact Centre line 905-546-2489.
City councillors’ phone lines, direct lines to program areas, and Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) phone lines are down.
The city of Hamilton’s website is operating, with the municipality providing updates on the situation on a dedicated webpage that can be accessed here.
However, other websites are impacted such as the Hamilton Public Library Website and Catalogue, Red Book of Hamilton Directory of Community Services, Hamilton Farmers’ Market, and Food Access Guide.
Online systems that are down include online tax tools, ePLANS for online building permits, the online zoning verification and property report application, the city’s job applications portal, the marriage license online application, and Public Health inspection results.
City Council itself has been impacted, with all committee meetings for the week of Feb. 26 to March 1 cancelled due to “ongoing system outage issues.”
There is also reportedly “no internet access in Council Chambers.”
Additionally, while bus service is operational, the HSR Now app is offline and bus operators are driving without the aid of any computerized on-board schedule.
As a result, the bus stop annunciators on board buses are also not operational. PRESTO payments remain operational.
Recreation centers, senior centers, arenas and golf courses all remain fully operational except that phone lines are down.
In terms of the city’s response to the incident, a statement says that the city “has taken swift action to investigate, protect systems, and minimize the impact, which are key priorities as the city continues to contact the breach.”
The city has reportedly engaged with “cyber security experts, insurers, legal counsel, and relevant authorities” regarding the matter.
Hamilton City Manager Marnie Cluckie added that they “have engaged with a team of extremely talented cyber experts” who are investigating and attempting to minimize the impact.
Cluckie did not say who this team is, how they were chosen, or how much the city is paying them.
Mayor Andrea Horwath’s only official statement on the matter issued via social media on Wednesday echoed Cluckie, saying that the city is “taking this incident very seriously” and that the city “will continue to provide updates as they become available.”
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
