Dear Shafter Community,
This weekend, we learned that the City of Shafter’s IT system has been compromised by ransomware. At this time, the City’s IT system appears to be frozen and locked. Although we do not believe that any personal information has been obtained, City officials are working with federal law enforcement agencies to determine the source and extent of this unauthorized access. In the meantime, we will continue to gather information and provide updates on our information page at www.shafter.com.
For this reason, City Hall doors will be closed until further notice. The City’s Finance Department will continue to serve the community through their alley window and City Services will remain open for manual transactions. We regret any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause for our residents and customers.
Thank you.
UPDATE 5:14 PM on October 19:
Dear Shafter Community,
Update: We continue to work on the issue regarding the City of Shafter’s IT system that has been compromised by ransomware. At this time, we are working on the issue and trying to get limited services up and running. Although we do not believe that any personal information has been obtained, City officials continue to work with federal law enforcement agencies to determine the source and extent of this unauthorized access.
In the meantime, please to visit our website for updates at www.shafter.com.
UPDATE 11:57 AM on October 23:
On October 19, 2020, the City noticed unusual activity on some of our computer systems. We conducted an initial investigation and determined that the City experienced a ransomware attack that affected some City services. The City immediately engaged data privacy legal counsel and a forensic investigation firm to learn the full scope of the incident and assess whether any data might have been placed at risk. The City’s investigation is still ongoing. If we determine that personal information was accessible to the unauthorized individual, we will notify any individuals whose personal information was involved.
We are notifying you of this incident because we take the security of your information seriously and wanted to let you know that this incident occurred. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this incident may cause you.
Thank you!