Investigators are taking a look at a hacking attempt by an unknown perpetrator. The breach was attempted by way of a phishing campaign which would have planted a virus if everything went to plan for the attackers. The malicious link attached to the phishing email would have taken would-be victims to the dark web if they had clicked on it. Fortunately, Akron City employees didn’t fall for it, and personnel, taxpayer, and customer information were all safe and backed up on the city’s servers. Although no information was obtained by hackers, it still caused issues with residents who were attempting to pay their bills or communicate with city workers. The systems were taken down as a precautionary measure before the details of the attack were figured out. City officials assured that police, fire, and EMS would still be able to be reached. They also suspended penalties and fees pertaining to the bills that were not able to be paid and water disconnections have also been postponed.
Analyst Notes
Users are recommended to pay their bills directly by mail or by showing up to the Akron Utilities Business Office until the issue is completely resolved. Do not open emails or click on links that have any suspicious or unfamiliar content attached. Continue to check Akron City’s official social media for updates on the situation.
