Date of release: February 3, 2020
The City of Paducah is in the process of responding to a security incident involving the targeting of our information technology systems by an unknown third party. We are addressing this incident with the highest priority and working with outside experts to explore all options for responsibly and securely restoring full IT operations.
On Saturday, February 1, we became aware of an unauthorized intrusion into our IT systems that disrupted access to multiple computer servers. Upon discovery, we immediately initiated a comprehensive response with the assistance of independent IT security and computer forensic specialists. We are coordinating with local and federal law enforcement and also are receiving assistance from our insurance provider.
Our IT team has taken potentially affected servers offline, and several internal systems will be temporarily unavailable as we continue to investigate and resolve this issue. The incident has not affected primary public safety systems, and Police and Fire services (including 911 dispatch) have continued operating without disruption.
At this time, we have no evidence that any information has been misused as a result of this incident. However, we are committed to conducting a complete forensic investigation and taking all appropriate actions in response to our findings.
City Manager Jim Arndt says, “We apologize for any inconvenience or delays caused to our citizens as our team works around the clock to address this matter. We are proceeding deliberately and thoughtfully as we work to ensure the security of the city’s technology and to protect the interests of our community.”
Arndt adds, “We are prioritizing security over speed. We want to fully understand what happened and how to implement additional security safeguards to prevent any future incidents.”
The information in this release is all that we are able to provide at this time in the best interest of data security and due to the sensitivity of this investigation. As our response continues and relevant information becomes available, updates will be placed here.
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