Official City of Long Beach Statement Regarding a Network Security Incident Targeting City Systems

In Data Breach News
November 16, 2023

Local governments continue to fall prey to cyberattacks. Yesterday, the City of Long Beach, California issued an official Statement Regarding a Network Security Incident Targeting City Systems:

On Nov. 14, 2023, the City of Long Beach learned that it was subject to a potential cybersecurity incident. The City’s Department of Technology and Innovation immediately initiated an investigation, engaged with the City’s contracted cyber security consultant firm, and notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Through the initial investigation, the City determined a network security incident occurred.


The City of Long Beach takes cyber security and data security very seriously. The City’s technology and cybersecurity teams are working diligently to identify the source and scope of the incident, assess potential vulnerabilities, and implement additional security measures, as well as gather recommendations on mitigation, response and recovery plans. At this time, there is no indication this incident has impacted the City’s public safety systems such as the Emergency Communications Center and emergency response from Police and Fire. The public should continue to dial 9-1-1 for emergencies or (562) 435-6711 for non-emergency City services.


Out of an abundance of caution, systems will be taken offline effective immediately during the investigation and potential remediation. Systems are anticipated to be offline for upwards of several days. City email and phone systems are generally expected to remain available and City Hall and other public facing City facilities will be open as scheduled. Updates regarding the current operations for specific digital services will be available in the near future. As the City works to resolve this incident, the public may experience some delays with systems and services, and we appreciate the public’s patience and understanding of these inconveniences.


As this is an ongoing investigation, additional details may emerge as the investigation continues. The City is committed to keeping the public informed of any new developments and potential impacts to public services and to our community. Any pertinent updates will be provided as the investigation continues.

While the City’s full website will not be available during this time, incident information will be available on the homepage of longbeach.gov starting midday Thursday, Nov. 16. The webpage will provide timely, transparent information regarding this incident, serving as a central information hub. Members of the community are encouraged to follow the City’s social pages on Facebook, X and Instagram with #LBAlert for updates.


No additional information is available at this time. The City will provide further updates as they are available.