Cyber incident disrupts Massachusetts’ emergency communications center

Massachusetts' Patriot Regional Emergency Communications Center disclosed that a cyberattack on a system linked to the emergency notification system CodeRED impacted phone lines and systems in several towns across the northern part of the state, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

Officials said its 911 phone systems are still operational and other local fire and police departments "can still reach Patriot Regional Emergency Communications Center through normal mutual aid channels," but business and non-emergency lines are disrupted. Pepperell's fire and police continue to respond to emergency calls. The incident reportedly began on Tuesday and is under investigation with the help of cybersecurity experts to determine the scope of the attack and possible data stolen or accessed. Federal law enforcement has also been notified.

Such a disclosure comes months after Crisis24, CodeRED's parent company, was subjected to a ransomware intrusion that affected several U.S. municipalities. The cyberattack led to the theft of local officials' information and damaged CodeRED system's environment, said Crisis24.