[BreachExchange] Riviera Beach computer shut down due to hacking; fix may cost $1 million

[Destry Winant]

https://www.wpbf.com/article/riviera-beach-computer-shut-down-due-to-hacking-fix-may-cost-dollar1-million/27706400

During a special meeting called to address the city's complete
computer shutdown, interim Information Technology Manager Justin
Williams delivered the continuing bad news.

"As of right now, everything is down," Williams said, confirming that
the problem is lasting longer than city officials predicted last week
when the problem began early May 29.

All of the city's email and every department's computer system have
been paralyzed since last Wednesday after what is just now being
revealed as some type of hacking event.

"An email got in. Someone clicked on an email. There was an intrusion.
As soon as we became aware of it, we went and locked everything down,"
said Williams in answer to a councilman's question.

Williams said the intrusion was so bad they could not risk turning any
of the city's computers back on for fear of the virus spreading
further.

He also told the council it will take up to $1 million to buy new
hardware and harden the system against future hacking, and that most
of the city's computers are so old they are not worth salvaging.

City Council members said they had reservations about approving
spending when they did not have an itemized list of what was needed
and due to the computer outage, couldn't receive emails containing
information about the problem. Several suggested approving just enough
money to get the critical systems back up, in the police and public
safety divisions.

The interim police chief said that while, 911 is working, the
department's computers are not and the Riviera Beach Police Department
staff are taking almost 300 reports a day by hand.

"So every call that comes in gets written on paper," said Chief Michael Madden.

He also said that, without its computer system, the Police Department
can't check if a call is coming from a dangerous location, or verify
criminals' histories and other critical information.

"So there is an elevated risk," said Madden.

Several residents demanded to know why the city doesn't have a
cybersecurity policy already in place.

"This is devastation here, we can't operate, you can't operate. Where
is that security cyber policy?" said Mary Bram.

The city is still dealing with water intrusion in several buildings
and ongoing mold problems.

Interim Fire Chief John Curd said evacuated firefighters are back in
the Singer Island station after tests showed unidentifiable
particulates in the air there.

But the Riviera Beach Fire Department is still awaiting tests on
Station 2, where the results of blood tests done on the firefighters
who work there showed high levels of mold exposure for a majority of
the firefighters, according to the union president.

The council said it would discuss the computer shutdown again at the
regular meeting Wednesday night.