Ransomware Gang Genesis Targets City of Hart, Michigan, in Latest Cyberattack
Over the weekend, the ransomware group Genesis added the City of Hart, Michigan, to its data leak site, claiming to have stolen 300 GB of data and threatening to publish it within six days unless ransom demands are met.
In a February 24, 2026, public meeting, the city acknowledged a "possible data incident" and confirmed that IT providers were investigating the breach while resetting all user passwords. A subsequent statement to Comparitech revealed that an unauthorized third party had accessed a limited portion of the city’s network. The city has engaged external cybersecurity experts to secure its systems and determine the scope of the breach, though it has not yet confirmed Genesis’ claims. Additional monitoring and security measures have been implemented while the investigation continues.
Genesis, which emerged in October 2025, has been linked to 49 attacks, with six confirmed by victims. The group employs a double-extortion tactic, encrypting systems and exfiltrating data before demanding payment for both a decryption key and the deletion of stolen files. So far in 2026, Genesis has claimed 23 victims, with the Hart attack marking its second confirmed strike this year.
The incident is part of a broader surge in ransomware attacks on U.S. government entities. In 2025, there were 86 confirmed attacks, while 2026 has already seen six, including a recent breach of Huntington, West Virginia, by the Termite ransomware gang. Other recent targets include the Warren County Sheriff’s Office (December 2025, claimed by RansomHouse) and the North Central HIDTA, a federal program hit by DragonForce in November 2025, with 1.48 TB of data allegedly stolen.
The City of Hart, a small community of 2,300 residents near Lake Michigan, has not yet disclosed whether personal or sensitive data was compromised. If confirmed, the city has stated it will follow applicable notification requirements.
Warren County, PA cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/warren-county
City of Huntington, WV cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/city-of-huntington-wv
"id": "WARCIT1773081045",
"linkid": "warren-county, city-of-huntington-wv",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "2/2026",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Public Administration',
'location': 'Hart, Michigan, USA',
'name': 'City of Hart, Michigan',
'size': 'Small (2,300 residents)',
'type': 'Government (Municipal)'}],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': '300 GB of data allegedly stolen'},
'date_detected': '2026-02-24',
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2026-02-24',
'description': 'The ransomware group Genesis added the City of Hart, '
'Michigan, to its data leak site, claiming to have stolen 300 '
'GB of data and threatening to publish it within six days '
'unless ransom demands are met. The city acknowledged a '
'possible data incident and confirmed an unauthorized third '
'party accessed a limited portion of its network. External '
'cybersecurity experts have been engaged to secure systems and '
'investigate the breach.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': '300 GB of data allegedly stolen',
'operational_impact': 'Password resets, enhanced monitoring, and '
'security measures implemented',
'systems_affected': 'Limited portion of the city’s network'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'motivation': 'Financial gain (ransom)',
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': 'Yes (double-extortion tactic)',
'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (300 GB of data allegedly stolen)',
'ransomware_strain': 'Genesis'},
'references': [{'source': 'Comparitech'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': 'Will follow applicable '
'notification '
'requirements if '
'confirmed'},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Public meeting and statement to '
'Comparitech',
'containment_measures': 'Password resets, network investigation',
'enhanced_monitoring': 'Yes',
'incident_response_plan_activated': 'Yes',
'remediation_measures': 'Enhanced monitoring and security '
'measures',
'third_party_assistance': 'External cybersecurity experts '
'engaged'},
'threat_actor': 'Genesis',
'title': 'Ransomware Gang Genesis Targets City of Hart, Michigan',
'type': 'Ransomware'}