Hoboken City Hall Gets Hacked With Ransomware, They Say

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken residents received an alert shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday saying City Hall offices are closed as a result of a "cyber attack."

The city says that the offices will remain closed for the day, and street sweeping is suspended.

A longer message said the city is a victim of "ransomware."

According to the FBI, "Ransomware is a type of malicious software—or malware—that prevents you from accessing your computer files, systems, or networks and demands you pay a ransom for their return. Ransomware attacks can cause costly disruptions to operations and the loss of critical information and data."

A city public safety spokewoman told Patch shortly before 11 a.m., "Law enforcement and IT are actively investigating. The city will issue updates as soon as more information is available."

The city's full message said, "The City of Hoboken was the victim of a ransomware attack in the early hours of Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. Due to the cyber attack, City Hall will be closed today and all online city services are suspended. Municipal Court has been cancelled for today. Street sweeping is suspended for the rest of the day. All other parking regulations remain in effect. Waste collection will take place today and Recreation programs will continue as scheduled.

"The Hoboken Police Department is working with City administration and the IT department to investigate the attack and how to best restore services safely. The city will update as soon as more information is available."

The New Jersey Courts said, "The city of Hoboken has experienced a cybersecurity incident affecting municipal operations. As a precautionary measure, the Judiciary has redirected all municipal court and police-related business temporarily to the Secaucus Police Department and Secaucus municipal court facilities."

Hoboken Patch will update this story when more details are received.

See other recent Hoboken news and public safety stories here.