The LockBit ransomware gang alleged Wednesday that it had successfully hacked into sensitive data belonging to the City of El Cerrito. The city was recently added to a list of entities the group says it has victimized. An investigation is now underway.
“We are aware that cybercriminals have alleged to have taken data from certain City of El Cerrito systems and is threatening to post the information to a website they maintain outside the confines of traditional internet,” assistant to the City Manager Will Provost told Recorded Future News.
“We are working with third-party cybersecurity specialists and law enforcement on this issue and are actively monitoring the unauthorized actor’s claims to investigate their validity. If we determine any sensitive information was affected, we will notify those individuals in accordance with applicable laws.”
LockBit claimed credit for a ransomware attack on Oakland earlier this year. CyberNews.com has called the group the “the most prolific gang in the illegal ransomware business,” with a list of victims totaling more than 1,500.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to El Cerrito as "El Centro."