Breach, Americas, Content

Hackers Steal $498,000 From Tallahassee, Florida, Payroll

Hackers have stolen roughly $498,000 from the city of Tallahassee’s employee payroll system, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

The city, home to about 191,000 people, is the state capital of Florida. According to the report:

  • The attack apparently targeted a third-party vendor that hosts the city's payroll services, and direct deposit paychecks were redirected.
  • The attack likely originated from outside the United States.
  • Despite the attack, all employees have since been paid.
  • The city is working with its bank to recover the money and already has recouped 25 percent of the missing funds. It is also in touch with its insurance company and law enforcement to pursue criminal charges.

The report did not disclose potential MSSPs and cybersecurity consulting firms involved in the investigation.

Hackers, Ransomware, Phishing and Digital Crime

Hackers increasingly target municipalities, financial services firms and payroll systems to steal or demand digital funds. Recent attacks have involved:

Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.