Cape municipal information systems hacked

Cape Girardeau officials announced Thursday evening the city’s information systems had been “victimized by a malicious cyber-attack.”

The announcement came after city officials acknowledged earlier in the week issues with various components of the city’s computer network.

The city’s website blamed a “network incident” on affecting the city’s email and other systems, noting there was “no information to indicate that any customer or employee information has been accessed or taken without authorization.”

Explaining the differing explanations, a city release stated, “As an FBI investigation continues, the City was advised not to disclose the complete nature of the attack until the City’s systems and data can be fully restored.”

The release said the city has “industry standard” measures in place to protect data and fend off such attacks.

In the aftermath of discovering the attack, “City staff immediately took action to secure the network and begin an internal investigation. The City also retained an independent nationally recognized computer forensics expert to restore affected systems and data and to analyze how the incident took place.”