Potential data theft reported by El Cerrito

El Cerrito, California, has reported a potential data threat in its systems after being included in a leak site of a ransomware group, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. The city has already moved to investigate after it was added as one of the 15 recent victims of the LockBit ransomware gang and has received threats of an information leak. Assistant to the City Manager Will Provost said devices and data are still accessible, and the city systems are functioning. The El Cerrito incident follows the attacks on other California cities in 2023, which include Modesto, Oakland, Hayward, San Francisco, and San Bernardino County. "We are working with third-party cybersecurity specialists and law enforcement on this issue and are actively monitoring the unauthorized actors claims to investigate their validity. If we determine any sensitive information was affected, we will notify those individuals in accordance with applicable laws," said Provost.