Truckee outlines response to July cybersecurity attack

TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) — Truckee officials say they’ve taken steps to recover from and guard against a cybersecurity attack like the one that shut down its computer system in July in the town near Lake Tahoe.

The Sierra Sun reports Town Manager Jennifer Callaway presented the latest update to the town council last week about the July 22 attack.

There’s been no information released about a possible source of the attack but Callaway said one particular exchange server “was infected with a very malicious piece of malware.”

The attack breached Truckee’s computer system, causing phones, internet, access to data — and everything that exists behind the town’s firewall — to be shut down, she said.

The town lost its archived emails during the attack but other key data has been recovered with the development of new storage systems. Truckee employees had to be outfitted with new computers and hotspots for internet access, she said.

“Town staff responded immediately and effectively by shutting down the town’s IT network completely, literally pulling the cords,” Callaway said. “These attacks were paralyzing in many ways, but your town team showed up every day.”

Callaway said more work needs to be done, as the cyberattack set the town’s permitting process back by roughly six weeks.

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