City of Newburgh’s Systems Disrupted by “Cybersecurity Incident”

A cybersecurity incident early Tuesday morning temporarily disrupted some government services in the city of Newburgh. The city said it has retained outside internet technology experts and other professionals who are working around the clock to fully restore operations.

City of Newburgh Faced with “Cybersecurity Incident”

During the time around the incident, the city was unable to accept payments for property taxes; water, sewer and sanitation services; permit fees; and parking tickets. Due to the cybersecurity incident, services at City Hall and at city offices at 123 Grand St. will be closed to the public until further notice. There was no disruption to city police and fire emergency lines, and calls to 911 are fully functional.

As of today, Wednesday, June 12th, City Hall and 123 Grand Street will remain closed to the public as they make progress towards restoration of City services following the cybersecurity incident. Residents may continue to use existing phone and email systems to contact city departments, but should be advised that the cybersecurity incident might have impacted both of those systems, which could result in delayed delivery of messages and response times.

Can Modern Security Technology Keep Up w/ Today’s Cyber Threats?

This goes hand-in-hand with a discussion I had a few months ago with Paul Hacker, a Professional Liability Broker at Axis Insurance Services. When asked if modern technology can keep up with today’s threats such as new technology attacking older systems, more educated hackers taking over the landscape, and the rise of AI, Paul said,

We are behind. As we learn what the hackers are doing, we catch up… Our wars, that are happening right now, it’s all going to be cyber. ‘Let me see if I can hack into your system and shut down your missiles’ or something… You have to be on your toes.

Whether you’re concerned about your company’s digital information, or your personal information, the growing need for cyber security is evident. Paul and I discuss in the interview below the latest dangers when it comes to online theft, and how to better protect yourself. Below, you can find Paul’s checklist of 11 Step Checklist To Safeguard Your Business Against Cyber Security Threats.