California's Suisun City declared a state of emergency on Saturday after a cyberattack disrupted 911 services and key city operations. The attack happened early Friday, August 7, after malicious software entered municipal computer systems.
Officials shut down the entire network to stop the attack and protect evidence for the investigation. The cyberattack affected 911 call routing, police dispatch, fire dispatch, city records, and online municipal services.
Suisun City serves nearly 30,000 people in Solano County, between San Francisco and Sacramento. Emergency teams kept working after officials moved 911 calls through the Solano County dispatch center.
Police officers and firefighters continued responding to emergencies while the city handled the wider cybersecurity problem. Online services, including permit processing and water bill payments, remained unavailable during the network shutdown.
The City Council approved the state of emergency unanimously during a special meeting Saturday morning. The decision helps the city receive emergency support, technical resources, and money for recovery costs.
The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and California Office of Emergency Services joined the investigation. Cybersecurity experts are examining affected systems before officials restore normal city operations and digital services.
Authorities have not revealed who launched the cyberattack or confirmed whether attackers demanded money. Officials also have not said whether hackers accessed or stole sensitive city information.
Cybersecurity expert Alex Hammerstone explained why prevention often receives less attention than recovery after attacks. “After an incident happens, there's all the money in the world to go out and fix it,” Hammerstone told NewsNation.
The attack highlights growing cybersecurity risks for local governments managing essential public services. Suisun City must now restore its systems while keeping emergency response services running safely.
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