KILLEEN, Texas — The City of Killeen is recovering after being affected by a security breach on the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 7, the City announced.
The City stated the breach mostly impacted internal system services, mostly temporarily, though citizens may experience a delay in essential services at the Utility Collections division.
While the City works to restore services, it says Utility Collections residents can make payments online or use a pay-by-cash, check or money order option in person.
For new resident/transfer/restoration services, citizens will need to call the Utility Collections line at (254) 501-7800, said the City. The contact can also be used for the After-Hours service line.
The City of Killeen stated the breach was due to a "cyber intrusion" by BlackSuit Ransomware. The City says it has been "actively engaged" with the Texas Department of Information Resources.
After discovering the intrusion, Killeen said its IT department immediately took steps to secure its systems and prevent further access, including disabling the utility customer service payment system to protect customer information.
The IT department has been working to restore servers through a backup system, the City said.
The City stated it has no reason to believe at this time that any personal or financial information of residents has been compromised, but encouraged residents to monitor their financial accounts and report any suspicious activity to their bank or financial institution as a precaution.
After a "thorough" review, the City said it's primary goal is restoring full functionality of all affected systems as quickly as possible. The City said it will keep residents informed as updates become available.
"The City of Killeen takes this incident very seriously and is committed to safeguarding the information and services relied upon by our community," said the City in a release about the incident. "We appreciate your patience and understanding as we worked through this challenging situation."
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