Less than a week after a ransomware attack caused the city to shut down its computer system, the employees’ email system is back up and running.
Mayor G.T. Bynum said email service was restored late Tuesday afternoon.
“Which was the No. 1 priority because that is something pretty much everybody in the organization uses for their jobs,” Bynum said. “And at this point, almost all of our computers in City Hall have been scanned, the hard drives have been scanned, and now, I know, for the recovery team, their top priority is getting public safety systems that are utilized up and running.”
The city still does not have a date for when all city operations will be up and running, Bynum said.
Early indications are that the cyber attack occurred April 21, and that the malware lay dormant for some time before it was detected May 6. In an abundance of caution, the city immediately shut down its computer system and has been cleaning and testing it ever since.
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The city caught the attack before any request for ransom could be made.
“The server and the things that were taken down were of our own doing, not because they were potentially dirty servers,” said Mayor’s Office spokeswoman Michelle Brooks. “Now they’re just checking to see that they are safe and clean.”
Bynum said he does not expect that the incident will end up costing the city much money to fix.
“Surprisingly, no,” Bynum said. “Because a lot of the work that is being done is covered in the contracts by the vendors that we utilize for our servers and systems. ... The big issue for us is just not having access to the things that employees rely on. It just slows everything down.”
That includes the work of police and firefighters. Bynum on Monday stressed that all city employees are out in the community doing their jobs but that the hack has led to inevitable slowdowns in service.
“The efficiency of operations in the field has absolutely been impacted by this,” Bynum said. “But those operations are continuing; they are just moving forward in a less efficient, more analog method of carrying out the work that has to be done.”
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are leading the investigation into the hack. City Chief Information Officer Michael Dellinger on Monday did not rule out the possibility that the cyber attack could be associated with the malware that shut down the Colonial Pipeline last week. The pipeline has since been restored to service.
With the city’s website down, the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority on Wednesday approved a request from the city not to shut off customers’ water service or charge late payment fees for those who cannot pay because online payments systems are down.
Payment collection and shutoffs will not begin until five days after electronic payment functions are restored, and Tulsa Municipal Courts will not issue failure to pay warrants until its computer systems are functioning.
Payments can be made in person at City Hall, 175 E. Second St., or at Tulsa Municipal Courts, 600 Civic Center, or by mail.
Persons paying in person must bring a copy of their utility bill or other payment documentation. Only cash, checks or money orders will be accepted. Credit and debit cards cannot be accepted.
Tulsans can also make utility payments at a third-party pay station. A list of pay stations can be accessed on the front page of the city’s website. Residents needing water turned on or off at their homes can call 311 or visit City Hall during regular business hours.
An email sent Wednesday from the city’s Permit Office to entities that receive the city’s weekly building permit report sheds some light on the challenges city employees are facing.
“No one is allowed to plug in our computers, and the majority of us had their hard drives removed,” the email states. “Until our IT department gets us back up and running safely, I am unable to create and email the reports that I send to you all.
The email goes on to say that it could be weeks before the email reports are available.
“Just keep in mind, I can’t look anything up at the moment,” the email states. “Everything is being done on pen & paper right now. And since it just happened, it’s been pretty chaotic. But I will do my best to help you.”
Brooks said the Permit Office is able to review new permit applications because they are submitted on paper.
“However, some applications that have been submitted through the city’s portal are not able to be reviewed,” she said. “For individuals that did send permits through the portal, they can come to the Permit Office to get those plans reviewed.”
Video: Gas analysts say don’t worry, but some drivers still do.
More than 1,000 gas stations in the U.S. Southeast reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of a major pipeline by a gang of hackers entered its fifth day Tuesday.
