City of Peabody, Massachusetts, Box Elder County, Utah, City of St. Paul and Minnesota: Peabody, MA warns 48,000+ people of data breach that leaked SSNs, finances

Peabody, MA Hit by Interlock Ransomware Attack Affecting 48,000 Residents

The city of Peabody, Massachusetts, confirmed a June 2025 data breach exposing sensitive information of 48,004 state residents, including Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver’s licenses. The ransomware group Interlock claimed responsibility, alleging it stole 124 GB of data from Peabody’s government network. However, city officials have not verified the group’s claims, and details about ransom demands or the attack’s entry point remain undisclosed.

Peabody detected the breach on July 7, 2025, after discovering inaccessible systems. Investigations revealed unauthorized access between June 13 and July 8, 2025, during which attackers exfiltrated data. Affected individuals were notified and offered free credit monitoring through IDX, with an enrollment deadline of May 5, 2026.

About Interlock
Emerging in October 2024, Interlock is a ransomware gang known for dual-extortion tactics stealing data and encrypting systems before demanding payment. Since its inception, the group has claimed 41 confirmed attacks, plus 48 unverified incidents. In 2025 alone, Interlock targeted six government entities, including:

• West Lothian Council (UK) – May 2025 breach
• St. Paul, MN – July 2025 breach (refused ransom)
• Box Elder County, UT – August 2025 breach (81,664 affected)
• Shelbyville Police Department (KY) – October 2025 breach
• Fargo Park District (ND) – October 2025 breach

Broader Impact on U.S. Government Entities
In 2025, 82 confirmed ransomware attacks on U.S. government bodies compromised data for over 630,000 individuals. Recent incidents include breaches at Midway, FL; Winona County, MN; New Britain, CT; and Tulsa International Airport (OK). Such attacks disrupt critical services from emergency dispatch to court records while forcing agencies to weigh ransom payments against prolonged downtime and fraud risks.

Peabody, a coastal city of 55,000 residents in Essex County, joins a growing list of municipalities grappling with ransomware threats.

Source: https://www.comparitech.com/news/peabody-ma-warns-48000-people-of-data-breach-that-leaked-ssns-finances/

DB mindbox cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/dbmindbox

City of Peabody cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/city-of-peabody

City of Saint Paul cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/city-of-saint-paul

"id": "DBMCITCIT1770832987",
"linkid": "dbmindbox, city-of-peabody, city-of-saint-paul",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "6/2025",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '48,004 residents',
                        'industry': 'Public Sector',
                        'location': 'Peabody, Massachusetts, USA',
                        'name': 'City of Peabody, Massachusetts',
                        'size': '55,000 residents',
                        'type': 'Government (Municipality)'}],
 'customer_advisories': 'Affected individuals notified and offered free credit '
                        'monitoring (enrollment deadline: 2026-05-05)',
 'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': '124 GB (alleged by Interlock)',
                 'number_of_records_exposed': '48,004',
                 'personally_identifiable_information': 'Yes',
                 'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (Personally Identifiable '
                                        'Information)',
                 'type_of_data_compromised': ['Social Security numbers',
                                              'Financial account details',
                                              'Driver’s licenses']},
 'date_detected': '2025-07-07',
 'description': 'The city of Peabody, Massachusetts, confirmed a June 2025 '
                'data breach exposing sensitive information of 48,004 state '
                'residents, including Social Security numbers, financial '
                'account details, and driver’s licenses. The ransomware group '
                '*Interlock* claimed responsibility, alleging it stole 124 GB '
                'of data from Peabody’s government network. City officials '
                'detected the breach on July 7, 2025, after discovering '
                'inaccessible systems. Unauthorized access occurred between '
                'June 13 and July 8, 2025, during which attackers exfiltrated '
                'data. Affected individuals were notified and offered free '
                'credit monitoring through IDX.',
 'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': "Negative impact on city's reputation",
            'data_compromised': 'Sensitive personal information (Social '
                                'Security numbers, financial account details, '
                                'driver’s licenses)',
            'identity_theft_risk': 'High (due to exposed PII)',
            'operational_impact': 'Disruption of city services',
            'payment_information_risk': 'High (financial account details '
                                        'exposed)',
            'systems_affected': 'Peabody’s government network'},
 'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
 'motivation': 'Financial gain (ransom)',
 'ransomware': {'data_encryption': 'Yes (systems inaccessible)',
                'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (124 GB alleged)',
                'ransomware_strain': 'Interlock'},
 'references': [{'source': 'Cyber Incident Description'}],
 'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Notification to affected individuals',
              'third_party_assistance': 'IDX (credit monitoring services)'},
 'threat_actor': 'Interlock',
 'title': 'Peabody, MA Hit by Interlock Ransomware Attack Affecting 48,000 '
          'Residents',
 'type': 'Ransomware'}