City Offers Credit Monitoring After Cybersecurity Incident
The city of Pittsburg, California, has announced that it will provide free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to individuals who may have been impacted by a cybersecurity breach detected in August 2024.
The decision to offer these services comes after the city’s computer system was compromised in a cyber attack that was first detected on August 18, 2024. Upon discovering the breach, the city immediately shut down its entire system to prevent further unauthorized access. The incident affected the Pittsburg City Council’s agenda and minutes page, hosted on an external platform called Onbase Web, and disrupted the live broadcast of the council’s August 19, 2024, meeting.
The city’s investigation into the breach is ongoing, with the assistance of external cybersecurity specialists. Although the city’s network has been secured and there’s currently no evidence of compromised data being misused, city officials are taking a precautionary approach.
“We have no evidence of anything (data) out there, but we’re being prudent on this,” said City Manager Garrett Evans, explaining the decision to offer the free services.
Residents and individuals with a connection to the city who are concerned about their personal data can access 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection through Experian, a company that specializes in credit education and identity protection. To sign up, individuals can call 855-260-7533 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, or visit the city’s website at www.pittsburgca.gov/securityincident.
The city will directly contact individuals whose personal information was involved once the investigation is complete. In the meantime, city officials encourage residents, employees, and partners to reach out to the dedicated call center with any questions or concerns.
“The city values the trust of its residents, employees, and partners and encourages them to contact the call center with any questions or concerns,” the city stated in its announcement.
