New Orleans Declares Emergency as Ransomware Targets City Computers
New Orleans officials declare a state of emergency and shut down city computers following a detected ransomware attack. Emergency services remain operational through backup plans while the investigation continues.
New Orleans declares a state of emergency and shuts down its municipal computers after detecting a ransomware attack early Friday morning. City IT officials spot suspicious activity around 5 a.m., and by 8 a.m. they confirm the presence of phishing attempts and ransomware. Although ransomware is detected, the mayor states that hackers have not yet submitted a ransom demand to the city.
This incident adds New Orleans to a growing list of local and state governments that fall victim to ransomware over the past year. Governments are particularly vulnerable to these file-encrypting malware attacks because they often lack adequate funding and cybersecurity resources. Notably, the Louisiana state government experiences a similar attack just last November, prompting its own state of emergency declaration.
Despite the severe cyber threat, New Orleans maintains critical public safety operations by relying on its disaster preparedness training. Police, fire, and EMS personnel continue their work without the city's network, while other municipal tasks like building inspections revert to manual, pen-and-paper processes. Investigators note that it appears city employees do not interact with the attackers or compromise their login credentials during the event.