Several services still down after Kansas City cyberattack

Several online services in Kansas City, Missouri — including systems for water bill payments and building permits — have not been restored, nearly two weeks after a cyberattack on the weekend of May 4 forced officials to take systems offline.

During a Wednesday press conference, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas acknowledged the delay in restoration of some services, but emphasized that emergency response, wastewater treatment and trash pick up were still operational.

“We ask for everyone’s patience and understanding throughout this process as we know that not all parts of our city apparatus have come back,” Lucas said. “While this process may take some time, we are committed to performing a full and thorough investigation and keeping everyone updated.”

Fielding questions from local reporters about utility users who cannot pay their bills online, the mayor said the Kansas City water department is offering customers a 30-day grace period and providing prepaid envelopes.

Though Kansas City’s website came back online last Wednesday, Lucas said that the city can still operate by using a paper system.

“The city has existed for a long time. We use paper for almost the entirety of our history,” he said. “And so that is something that I think many of us and many of our staff are able to get back to.”

An investigation by law enforcement and cybersecurity experts has yet to confirm whether the network activity detected during the cyber incident had any impact on the data stored on the city’s servers.

“As our investigation continues, it’s important that we avoid spreading incorrect information or discussing unconfirmed details,” Lucas said. “Safeguarding the city’s systems and ensuring uninterrupted operations are going to continue to be our top priorities and will diligently work to evaluate the complete impact on our operations.”

Kansas City is also still recovering from an April cyberattack on its traffic management system.