Rhode Island Sewer System Operator Hit by Cyberattack

he Narragansett Bay Commission, which runs sewer systems in parts of the metropolitan Providence and Blackstone Valley areas, was hit by a ransomware attack on its computer systems. A spokeswoman for the commission acknowledged the attack in a Friday evening email to The Providence Journal.

"Last week, the Narragansett Bay Commission identified a cybersecurity incident that involved the encryption of data on certain computers and systems in its network," spokeswoman Jamie R. Samons said in the email. While she did not specify a ransomware attack, such attacks typically involve hackers encrypting data on a victim's computer system and refusing to supply the key to decode the data until a ransom is paid.

Samons did not reply to a follow-up email asking whether a ransom was paid. She did note that the systems hit by the attack are not ones that control the operation of the sewage system.

Estimated Cost

No cost values disclosed.

Threat Source

Impacts

IT