Hamilton hit by ransomware attack, no timeline to restore services: city manager

A cybersecurity incident that the City of Hamilton has been grappling with since last month has been confirmed as a ransomware attack.

The city says it first learned of the attack on Feb. 25.

City manager Marnie Cluckie told a media briefing Monday that they don’t believe people’s personal data and information has been accessed.

Ransomware is malware that holds vital digital information hostage for payment.

Cluckie would not say whether a ransom had been paid, saying only that staff would do “what’s best for the city.”

Various services have been disrupted, including the systems used for online payment, and there’s no timeline for when normal operations will be restored.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2024.