Massachusetts Emergency Cyberattack Disrupts Regional Dispatch Center
A cyberattack targeting the Patriot Regional Emergency Communications Center in Pepperell, Massachusetts, has disrupted operations for multiple small towns in northern Massachusetts since Tuesday. The breach compromised town and public safety computer systems, though 9-1-1 emergency phone lines remain operational. Non-emergency and business lines, however, are currently offline.
The affected center serves as a central dispatch hub for Pepperell, Ashby, Dunstable, and Groton, coordinating emergency responses for police, fire, and medical services. Officials are collaborating with IT vendors to investigate the incident and restore full functionality, prioritizing uninterrupted emergency services.
Despite the disruption, local police and fire departments continue responding to 911 calls. Mutual aid agreements with neighboring towns ensure alternative communication channels remain available. Residents are advised to use 911 only for emergencies, with non-emergency inquiries directed to 978-433-2424.
To maintain public communication, the CodeRED emergency notification system remains active, allowing officials to send alerts via phone, text, or email. The system supports targeted messaging for severe weather, public safety threats, evacuations, and other critical updates. Residents are encouraged to verify their contact information for timely alerts.
The center’s GPS-enabled 911 system ensures accurate caller location tracking, even if calls initially route to regional dispatch centers. TTY services (978-433-2671) and VoIP emergency access remain available, though VoIP users should confirm their service’s compliance with FCC location-tracking requirements.
While recovery efforts continue, officials confirm that emergency response capabilities remain intact, with updates provided through official town channels.
Source: https://thecyberexpress.com/massachusetts-emergency-cyberattack/
Massachusetts Communications Supervisors Association cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/massachusetts-communications-supervisors-association
"id": "MAS1775471471",
"linkid": "massachusetts-communications-supervisors-association",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "4/2026",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "6",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the economy of geographical region"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Residents of Pepperell, Ashby, '
'Dunstable, and Groton',
'industry': 'Public Safety',
'location': 'Pepperell, Massachusetts, USA',
'name': 'Patriot Regional Emergency Communications '
'Center',
'type': 'Emergency Communications Center'},
{'industry': 'Municipal Government',
'location': 'Massachusetts, USA',
'name': 'Pepperell',
'type': 'Town'},
{'industry': 'Municipal Government',
'location': 'Massachusetts, USA',
'name': 'Ashby',
'type': 'Town'},
{'industry': 'Municipal Government',
'location': 'Massachusetts, USA',
'name': 'Dunstable',
'type': 'Town'},
{'industry': 'Municipal Government',
'location': 'Massachusetts, USA',
'name': 'Groton',
'type': 'Town'}],
'customer_advisories': 'Residents advised to use 911 only for emergencies; '
'non-emergency inquiries directed to 978-433-2424. '
'Verify contact information for CodeRED alerts.',
'date_detected': 'Tuesday',
'description': 'A cyberattack targeting the Patriot Regional Emergency '
'Communications Center in Pepperell, Massachusetts, has '
'disrupted operations for multiple small towns in northern '
'Massachusetts since Tuesday. The breach compromised town and '
'public safety computer systems, though 9-1-1 emergency phone '
'lines remain operational. Non-emergency and business lines '
'are currently offline.',
'impact': {'operational_impact': 'Disrupted dispatch operations for police, '
'fire, and medical services',
'systems_affected': 'Town and public safety computer systems, '
'non-emergency and business lines'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'CodeRED emergency notification system '
'remains active; residents advised to '
'use 911 only for emergencies',
'remediation_measures': 'Collaborating with IT vendors to '
'investigate and restore full '
'functionality',
'third_party_assistance': 'IT vendors'},
'stakeholder_advisories': 'Mutual aid agreements with neighboring towns '
'ensure alternative communication channels remain '
'available',
'title': 'Massachusetts Emergency Cyberattack Disrupts Regional Dispatch '
'Center',
'type': 'Cyberattack'}