Suisun City Declares State of Emergency After Cyberattack

The Suisun City Council voted to declare a state of emergency on Saturday after a malicious software infection forced the municipality to shut down its entire information-technology network. The breach began around 5:45 a.m. on Friday and immediately disrupted critical public-safety operations, including 911 call routing, police and fire dispatch, and city records. To contain the threat and preserve evidence, the city disabled its network and redirected emergency calls to the Solano County dispatch center.

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Suisun City’s experience follows a recent spate of cyber incidents targeting local governments in the Bay Area and beyond. Earlier in the year, neighboring municipalities such as Foster City and Pittsburg faced ransomware and phishing attacks that halted non-emergency services and resulted in significant financial losses. Federal agencies have also warned that Iran-affiliated hackers are probing internet-connected industrial controllers in water and wastewater systems across at least seven states, highlighting a broader trend of cyber threats to essential municipal infrastructure.

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The city is cooperating with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the California Office of Emergency Services to investigate and restore systems. Michael Elm, spokesperson for the Suisun City Public Information Office, reiterated that “from a public safety standpoint, there’s no threat to the public at this time.” Dispatchers continued to handle emergency calls through the county center, and police and fire crews remained on-scene for calls.

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Cybersecurity scholars note that attacks on small municipalities are increasingly common. David Wagner, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, observed that “cybersecurity attacks on small cities are common,” underscoring the vulnerability of local governments that often lack robust defensive resources.

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• Population: roughly 30,000 residents.

Foster City Cyberattack Disrupts Bay Area City Services

• Network shutdown: initiated at 5:45 a.m. Friday, affecting 911 routing, police and fire dispatch, records, and online city services.

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• Emergency support: activation of the city’s emergency operations center and reliance on Solano County’s dispatch center for police and fire calls.

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The incident illustrates how municipal reliance on interconnected IT systems can create single points of failure for essential services. By declaring a state of emergency, Suisun City gains access to emergency support services and the ability to recoup costs associated with the cyber incident. The shutdown also delays routine functions such as water bill processing and permit approvals, affecting residents’ daily interactions with city government.

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• “From a public safety standpoint, there’s no threat to the public at this time,” — Michael Elm

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• “Cybersecurity attacks on small cities are common,” — David Wagner, a professor at UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

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