City of Whitehall

The City of Whitehall fell victim to a ransomware attack on May 27, 2022, though the breach was only discovered months later on October 12, 2022. The incident resulted in the compromise of sensitive personal data, specifically Social Security Numbers (SSNs), affecting 36,694 individuals. The exposure of such critical information poses a severe risk of identity theft and financial fraud, prompting the Maine Office of the Attorney General to mandate 12 months of free identity theft protection services via IDX for the affected individuals. The delayed detection of the breach further exacerbated the potential damage, as malicious actors may have had prolonged access to the stolen data. While the city has taken steps to mitigate harm through credit monitoring, the long-term consequences such as fraudulent account openings, tax fraud, or unauthorized financial transactions remain a significant concern. The attack underscores the vulnerability of municipal systems to sophisticated cyber threats, particularly ransomware, which can cripple operations and lead to large-scale data exfiltration. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures, timely breach detection, and transparent communication to protect public trust and sensitive citizen data.

Source: https://www.maine.gov/agviewer/content/ag/985235c7-cb95-4be2-8792-a1252b4f8318/78484cce-6b0b-4441-be3f-e7e501c7dda1.shtml

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/city-of-whitehall

"id": "cit011091825",
"linkid": "city-of-whitehall",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "5/2022",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization’s existence"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '36,694 individuals',
                        'industry': 'public administration',
                        'location': 'Whitehall, Maine, USA',
                        'name': 'City of Whitehall',
                        'type': 'government (municipal)'}],
 'customer_advisories': 'Identity theft protection services (IDX) offered for '
                        '12 months',
 'data_breach': {'number_of_records_exposed': '36,694',
                 'personally_identifiable_information': ['Social Security '
                                                         'Numbers'],
                 'sensitivity_of_data': 'high (Social Security Numbers)',
                 'type_of_data_compromised': ['personally identifiable '
                                              'information (PII)']},
 'date_detected': '2022-10-12',
 'description': 'The Maine Office of the Attorney General reported that the '
                'City of Whitehall experienced a ransomware attack on May 27, '
                '2022, with the breach discovered on October 12, 2022. A total '
                'of 36,694 individuals were affected, and sensitive '
                'information, specifically Social Security Numbers, was '
                'compromised. Identity theft protection services through IDX '
                'are being offered for 12 months.',
 'impact': {'data_compromised': ['Social Security Numbers'],
            'identity_theft_risk': 'high (SSNs compromised)'},
 'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': 'Reported to the Maine '
                                                       'Office of the Attorney '
                                                       'General'},
 'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Identity theft protection services '
                                        '(IDX) offered for 12 months to '
                                        'affected individuals'},
 'title': 'Ransomware Attack on the City of Whitehall',
 'type': 'ransomware'}