Mississippi mayor says ransomware incident led city to shut down systems

What happened

“At this time, the investigation is ongoing, and the City has not reached a final determination regarding what information, if any, may have been accessed or acquired without authorization.” Government services were temporarily disrupted by ransomware (software that locks up files and demands payment) in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Mayor Willis Thompson said the FBI and other authorities are investigating. Mayor Willis Thompson published a statement in the local newspaper saying the city is investigating a ransomware attack that has not impacted emergency services but has affected payments for utilities.

He said the system shutdown was “temporary.” Thompson said no one's services will be shut off while the investigation is ongoing and no penalties will be issued for late payments.

He later told the Vicksburg Post that the city has been working on the recovery effort with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and other state officials alongside private cybersecurity experts. The city did not respond to requests for comment about ransom demands or the identity of the attackers. Vicksburg has more than 20,000 residents and is about 40 minutes west of the state’s capital of Jackson.