On Sunday, Aug. 4, North Miami detected a breach in its cybersecurity system, leading officials to close City Hall that Tuesday. It reopened Monday morning under usual business hours but with limited services.
Councilman Scott Galvin told the Miami Herald that while the threat was detected Aug. 4, it’s possible the “threat actors” were in the system for weeks before. Galvin said employees have been hesitant about using their computers and unsure of which programs are safe to operate.
“It’s a painstaking examination of evidence as they go long and figure out ... what systems are okay to use now,” he said.
While many services and operations remained operational last week, several services remain delayed or altered.
Residents are unable to pay their utility bills online for the time being and must pay in person in cash or with a money order. Galvin said residents’ utilities will not be shut down even if payments are stalled, given the situation.
Passport services are also still unavailable.
Galvin said there might be delays in other processes as the city continues to probe the depth of the cyberattack.
“The world becomes pre-Aug. 4 and after Aug. 4 with data,” he said. “If you come in and file a new building permit, great. It’ll be digital, just like everything, but we won’t be able to look back at pre-Aug. 4 yet.”
While emergency services never went down, Galvin said computerized car systems for police are still not working, forcing officers to resort to radio communication to communicate addresses.
According to Galvin, the city is still unsure which departments the breach impacted. The city did not respond to an interview request about the incident, directing the Herald to the city’s website for updates.
Mayor Alix Desulme previously told the Herald that his personal information was targeted in the attack, an account that was confirmed in a recent Axios report. CBS Miami reported that Desulme’s passport information, bank statements, credit card information and personal images were at risk.
Galvin, who does not yet know if his personal information was hacked, said it will take weeks before everything is back to normal.
“We are committed to serving our residents and will continue to provide updates as we work towards full restoration,” the city said in a statement Friday.
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