South Shore Regional Emergency Communications Center Hit by Cyber Attack

The South Shore Regional Emergency Communications Center (SSRECC), based in Hingham, Massachusetts, confirmed that it was the target of a cyber attack on Saturday (Aug 2nd). The facility provides 911 dispatch services for the towns of Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, and Norwell.

According to a press release from the center, staff noticed “significant issues” with its dispatch software at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Saturday (Aug 2nd). SSRECC managers contacted their software vendors, who determined the system had been rendered unusable due to what they described as an “intentional act.”

Despite the outage, 911 emergency services remained operational, and officials report that emergency response times were not affected. While the dispatch software was down, operators reverted to traditional, manual dispatch methods to handle calls.

Investigators revealed that the incident involved a relatively new, yet increasingly common form of malware linked to a threat group with ties to Russia. At this time, it remains unclear whether any sensitive or confidential information was accessed.

The investigation is ongoing and involves the Norwell Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, and the FBI.

Source: The Anchor