FORT SMITH — A cybersecurity event that led to issues with card payments at certain city offices and the landfill started when a “threat actor” accessed the city’s systems through the Fort Smith Police Department, according to City Administrator Jeff Dingman.
Dingman provided an update on the incident and ensuing investigation in a news release Tuesday night.
“The forensic investigation of the cybersecurity event is nearing conclusion, and we have assurance that the threat has been contained,” Dingman said in the release. “The investigation determined that an unauthorized threat actor accessed the City’s systems through the Fort Smith Police Department and exfiltrated certain data. The City has identified how the threat actor gained access to its systems and the scope of the information accessed.”
With the forensic investigation nearing completion, the city is reviewing the information involved and applicable notification requirements to determine what additional information should or must be provided to the public or other affected parties, the release states.
The city identified the incident Aug. 16, according to the release. The city began working with cybersecurity specialists and its federal and state partners to investigate the event, secure its systems and determine the extent of the activity, the release states.
“Throughout this process, the City worked carefully to restore systems only when they can be returned to service safely,” Dingman said. “Several systems have been restored, including payment systems at City Hall, Fort Smith District Court, and the Fort Smith Landfill. All public-facing City services are online. The City will continue restoring additional systems carefully and deliberately.”
In light of the breach, the city plans to implement additional security measures to ensure the integrity of data and systems, he added.
