The city of Cedar Falls, Iowa, recently informed 3,534 residents about a data breach that occurred in June 2024, which exposed sensitive personal information, including names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, driver’s license details, vehicle license plate numbers, VINs, and health information. The breach is attributed to a ransomware attack on June 19, 2024. Although the notice acknowledged the breach of personal data, it emphasized that the event did not significantly impact the city’s ability to continue providing public services.
The ransomware group BlackSuit claimed responsibility for the attack in July 2024, demanding an undisclosed ransom amount and threatening to auction the stolen data unless paid.
BlackSuit’s message, posted on their leak site, suggested that the stolen data belonged to city employees, customers, and partners. However, Cedar Falls has yet to confirm whether BlackSuit’s claim is accurate or if the city paid the ransom. The exact method of how the attackers breached the city’s systems is also unclear.
Despite the breach, Cedar Falls was able to restore its network from backups, a result credited to its existing security measures.
Following the incident, the city took immediate action to strengthen its security protocols. These measures included changing all passwords, implementing an automated patching tool, updating firewall configurations, and conducting external penetration tests and vulnerability scans to prevent future attacks.
In an effort to mitigate the impact of the breach on the affected individuals, Cedar Falls is offering free credit monitoring services through Cyberscout. This initiative aims to help those impacted by the breach protect their personal information from potential identity theft and financial fraud.
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