Government office buildings in Bernalillo County were dark on Wednesday and Thursday after a suspected ransomware attack hit the county’s systems, forcing online services to be taken offline.
Most offices were also closed on Friday, although the county website was operational again, with no decision yet on whether offices will be open on Monday.
Amid the suspected ransomware attack, Bernalillo County noted in a press release that all public safety departments, including the Sheriff’s Office, emergency 911 communications and fire and rescue have resorted to back-up plans to operate without any issues.
“Bernalillo County has discovered what is believed to be a ransomware attack on county systems,” the county said in the original press release. “The county has taken affected systems offline and has severed network connections.”
According to a KRQE report, most Bernalillo County office buildings were closed to the public following the attack, with the county’s employees working remotely to provide as much assistance to the public as possible amid the unexpected circumstances.
Bernalillo County officials also noted in the release that vendors for county systems have been contacted and are working to find a solution to the issue and bring the county’s functions back online. Updates will be provided to keep the public apprised of the situation.
According to its website, Bernalillo County provides myriad public services to residents in Albuquerque, Los Ranchos, Tijeras and areas outside the city and village limits in unincorporated areas. The county has more than 2,500 employees with an annual budget of more than $650 million, according to the website. Bernalillo County also has several elected officials, according to its website, including five county commissioners, sheriff, clerk, probate judge, assessor and treasurer.