The Attack
Tuesday evening, the Tri-County Public Safety Network operating in Albany, Saratoga, and Rensselaer counties were hacked. Reports mention the attack happened around 9:30pm and no services in Albany county were disrupted. Officials worked through the night with vendors and the state Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Incident Response Team to mitigate the impacts, officials said.
The breach did affect operations in Saratoga county, but the in place backups worked as intended and allowed the dispatch center to maintain services. Tri-County is working with investigators to figure out the source. They note that all machines are back online, cleaned, and operational.
Statement Issued
Rob Cheng, Founder and CEO of PC Matic, will often issue statements about cybersecurity events. “Targeting a 911-dispatch center with ransomware is yet another low for cybercriminals. This attack – striking a public safety dispatch system shared by residents of Albany, Rensselaer, and Saratoga counties – demonstrates that cybercriminals will target even those in need of help if it proves the potential for profit,” Mr. Cheng notes.
Furthermore, Mr. Cheng warned, “The question isn’t a matter of if another attack will occur, but when. Cybercrime will continue, and more lives could potentially be put at risk until state and local leaders put in place preventative, proactive solutions designed to thwart these modern-day threats.”
To read the full statement, please visit our newsroom.
