Cyberattack hits Central Virginia transit system

Central Virginia-based Greater Richmond Transit Company has confirmed having its network impacted by a cyberattack around Thanksgiving, which disrupted parts of its network and some of its apps, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Additional transport service disruptions have been averted following the immediate remediation of the incident, according to a GRTC spokesperson, who added that an investigation into the extent of the attack is underway. While no further details were provided regarding the nature of the intrusion, the Play ransomware gang, which has previously attacked Dallas County, the City of Oakland, and the City of Lowell in Massachusetts, has claimed responsibility for the compromise. GRTC has also been demanded to pay an undisclosed amount as ransom by Dec. 13. Such an attack follows a string of public transit system-targeted intrusions since 2021, with the October compromise of Metro Call-A-Ride in St. Louis, Missouri, being among the most recent incidents.