Richardson city servers targeted in hack, sensitive data believed safe
NORTH TEXAS – A hacker temporarily breached the City of Richardson's servers early Wednesday, attempting to encrypt data files within its network.
The city shut down internal server access as a precaution. Officials believe the hacker likely did not access sensitive data.
The unauthorized access occurred at 6:22 a.m.
"The threat of these incidents is a reality that all cities face, and it is something we have been diligently preparing for," City Manager Don Magner said in a news release. "At this point, our security protocols seem to have successfully minimized the impact, and we hope this continues.
"We are doing everything in our power to restore our systems as quickly as possible and will identify resources necessary to assist affected individuals, if necessary."
The city said essential services such as emergency response and online payments remained available.
While the FBI is investigating, the Department of Homeland Security has been informed of the breach. Other agencies were also alerted, according to the city.