Fast company logo
|
advertisement

NEWS

‘Potential’ cyberattack cripples New Orleans city websites after mandatory computer shutdowns

The city told employees to power down and unplug their computers after signs of a “potential” cyberattack were spotted.

‘Potential’ cyberattack cripples New Orleans city websites after mandatory computer shutdowns

[Photo: Tetra Images/Getty Images]

BY Steven Melendez0 minute read

New Orleans city employees were told to shut down and unplug their computers Friday after a “potential cyberattack” was detected, officials said on an official city Twitter account.

City Hall workers were warned over a loudspeaker about the incident, nola.com reports.

Most city websites were down Friday afternoon, although officials said emergency communications including 911 were still up and running. The non-emergency 311 service is also reported up, with people wishing to file online requests directed to a non-city-domain website to do so.

The incident comes less than a month after a ransomware attack crippled Louisiana state government servers, leaving some motor vehicle offices shuttered for weeks. Other cities, including Baltimore and Atlanta, have also faced cyberattacks in recent years that left officials scrambling to provide city services with computers and networks down.

advertisement

Recognize your company's culture of innovation by applying to this year's Best Workplaces for Innovators Awards before the final deadline, April 5

.
CoDesign Newsletter logo
The latest innovations in design brought to you every weekday.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Privacy Policy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steven Melendez is an independent journalist living in New Orleans. More