What can Dallas City Hall learn from ransomware attack?

Dallas is still working to contain a ransomware attack that started last week and that officials say it could take months to recover from. City leaders are keeping some details to themselves for now, citing the ongoing criminal investigation, so there is a lot we still don’t know. What is clear is that the attack underscores the need for City Hall to improve its cybersecurity infrastructure.

As ransomware attacks become more frequent and more cunning, local governments need to get smarter about how to prevent these threats. We agree with council member Gay Donnell Willis, who said during a recent council public safety briefing that the 2024 bond package should include a cybersecurity component.

Bill Zielinski, the city’s chief information officer, explained in the same briefing that Dallas was able to take services and devices offline to limit the impact of the attack. City staff then brought each device back online, one by one, following a strict protocol, Zielinski said. The city is still working on bringing all services back.

In a meeting with the editorial board this week, city chief financial officer Jack Ireland wouldn’t say whether officials had paid a ransom or responded to a ransom request, citing the criminal investigation.

Research firm Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that the costs of such malware attacks could reach $265 billion annually by 2031. From everyday Americans to small businesses to large organizations, nobody is immune. For a city like Dallas, the stakes are even higher because of the responsibility for public safety and emergency services.

The ransomware attack disrupted several systems, including the computer-assisted dispatch for 911, forcing first responders to rely on radios and pen and paper to manage emergencies. On Sunday, the day after the mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets, it was difficult for Dallas police to get information about past calls to the gunman’s Dallas home because computers were down following the ransomware attack, WFAA-TV (Channel 8) reported.

Police devices are largely back online, but the ransomware attack hit the Fire Department harder, according to the city. Deputy City Manager Jon Fortune told us the attack has affected response times, but that he couldn’t say to what extent because the system that can provide that report has also been affected.

Dallas City Hall had already taken some steps to guard against malware, including splitting up its network into multiple segments, which officials say lessened the severity of the ransomware attack.

As Dallas works to recover from this cyberattack, the City Council and city administrators must consider what additional investments they need to make to protect city networks from another intrusion.

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