WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) - The City of Wichita released an update Friday morning on the cyberattack that occurred May 5 on online City services.

In a release, the City says they have turned off their computer network to ensure systems are "securely vetted" before returning to service. Many City systems are down as security experts determine the source and extent of the incident. There is no timetable for when systems could be coming back online. 

 

 

Below, the City released updates to Frequently Asked Questions regarding the incident.

When will this incident be resolved? 

Staff are working diligently and will have resolve the cyber security incident as soon as possible. 

When will we know more? The City is dedicated to providing updates as soon as more information is available. 

How do I make a payment to the City of Wichita? Credit cards payments are not being accepted at this time. Please refer to the service you are making payment to for further information about cash or check payments.

Will live streaming continue for boards and commissions? The City will make every effort to live stream or record board and commission meetings. There is no guarantee that live streaming will be available, so plan on attending those meetings in person. Wichita City Council meetings will be broadcast on Cox cable channel 7 as well as the City's YouTube channel.  

Public Safety: 

Is there any impact to Wichita Fire Department operations?  There is NO EXPECTED IMPACT TO RESIDENTS needing fire services. WFD has a system in place to monitor and respond to calls for service. 

Is there any impact to Wichita Police Department operations?  WPD implemented continuity measures to mitigate the impact. Our core responsibility remains the same, which is to ensure public safety and provide exceptional customer service to Wichita, thus keeping our community safe. 

Water:

Are water systems in any way compromised by the cyber security event? No. All water systems are secure and functioning as normal.

How do I pay my water bill? During the cyber security incident we will not shut off water accounts. Those who have experienced a water shut off may bring payment or proof of payment to City Hall and their water will be reconnected. Anyone having difficulty paying their bill will not receive penalties or late fees until the cyber incident is resolved. Bills may still be paid via cash by coming to City Hall or by mailing payment. Customers looking to set up a new water account may do so by coming to City Hall. Auto payments are suspended for the time being. 

If my water is shut off, how do I get reconnected?  During the data breach, we will not be shutting off any water accounts. Those who have experience a water shut off may bring payment or proof of payment to City Hall and their water will be reconnected. 

Call Center:

The City of Wichita Call Center phone numbers are working but live chat on wichita.gov is unavailable at this time.

 

Transit:

How will I get a bus ticket or pay bus fare?  All Wichita Transit and paratransit services are fare-free until further notice.

How do I request paratransit services? Please call 316-352-4824 or 316-352-4810.

City Vendors:

I am a vendor for the City of Wichita – how do I get paid? 

Please contact your City of Wichita liaison for further information. 

Purchasing:

Bid Opening for Friday May 10, 2024 is cancelled.Any Request for Bid, Proposal, or Qualifications with a stated Due Date of May 10, 2024 are deferred until 10:00am Friday May 17, 2024. Please call the Purchasing Office at 316-268-4636 for any questions or technical assistance.

Park and Recreation:

Wichita Park & Recreation is unable to facilitate credit card transactions, whether conducted online or in-person. Patrons are kindly asked to register for the diverse range of programming outlined below at any of our designated recreation centers during respective operating hours. Detailed information regarding the operational schedules of the centers is conveniently accessible at https://www.wichita.gov/722/Recreation-Centers.

The offerings encompass:

Athletics:

  • Adult Leagues
  • Youth Leagues
  • Miracle League of Wichita

Aquatics:

  • Swim Classes
  • Scuba
  • Swim Team
  • Swimming Pool Memberships

Recreation:

  • Camps
  • Classes

Those seeking to procure the rental services of athletic fields, equipment, swimming pools, or venues are encouraged to contact our administrative office directly at 316-268-4361.

For inquiries pertaining to programming at the Riverside Tennis Center, individuals are directed to personally visit the facility during its standard operational hours to complete the registration process. Detailed information regarding the operational hours of the Riverside Tennis Center can be found online at https://www.wichita.gov/1353/Riverside-Tennis-Center.

 

Golf Wichita

Golf Wichita is presently unable to facilitate credit card transactions, whether conducted online or in-person. We kindly request patrons to ensure they have cash or a check available when visiting any of our golf courses.

Our online booking engine is unavailable. All reservations will be taken by calling your local clubhouse or in person.

We are unable to process registrations for group lessons, tournaments, or the Junior Tour via online. Interested individuals are advised to register for group lessons or tournaments by visiting the respective host locations. For Junior Tour registration, please contact us directly at 316-268-4653.

Please note that Golf Wichita is presently not accepting new membership applications. Existing members with inquiries are encouraged to reach out to us by phone at 316-268-4653 or email at [email protected].

 

City Licenses: 

Can I pay for or obtain a license through the City?  Licenses may be paid for and obtained by coming to City Hall. 

City Meetings: 

Will City Council, committees and other advisory board meetings be streamed?  While best efforts will be made to continue streaming any previously streamed public meetings or media opportunities, at this time, please plan to attend any City meetings in person. 

Landfill: 

Are landfill operations still in service?  The landfill is accepting cash only at this time. 

Arts and Culture: 

Are cultural institutions impacted?  Cultural institutions for the City including CityArts, Cowtown and Indian Museum are able to hold events as scheduled but payments will only be accepted by cash or check. Century II, Botanica and the Wichita Art Museum are not affected. 

Municipal Court: 

Municipal Court customer service staff has access to docket and warrant information. Individuals may contact 316-268-4611 for their current court dates. There will be ample time for people to clear warrants once we are fully operational. We appreciate your patience during this time and we are sorry inconvenience. Once information services are restored, there will be a process for those who lost contact with the court and received a warrant to clear the warrant without arrest.

Is Municipal Court still in operation? All scheduled dockets will proceed as planned. There is no walk in docket at this time. 

What if I have to pay a Municipal Court fine?  Payments to Municipal Court may be made in person. At this time, only cash and check are being accepted. 

Airport: 

What impact does this have to the Airport?  No public wi-fi is available at the terminal and arrival and departure screens are not currently working. Flights are operating normally. 

Library:

Is the Library open?  Public WiFi is available at the following locations: Alford, Angelou, Rockwell and Westlink branches as well as Libby. Staff can check out materials, but checking in materials, pulling holds and transferring materials between locations might be paused. We are a fine-free library, but will monitor accounts to make sure other fees are not assessed during this time. Public wifi is not available at the following locations: Advanced Learning Library, Evergreen and Walters branches. Other services that may be impacted include: staff email through the City network (if you email us, we might not be able to respond during this outage), the library website, most databases, including Kanopy, LinkedIn Learning, etc, the online catalog, the Self-service print release stations, the self-check stations, the automated materials handler at the Advanced Learning Library – place returns in the manual book drop, most incoming phone call capability. 

Resource Centers: 

Are neighborhood resource centers still operational?  Wi-fi and phones are currently down. Unless otherwise noted, all scheduled events services are operational.

Planning:

Is Planning still able to process cases?  All planning activities will continue. Payments may be made with cash or check. 

MABCD: 

Is MABCD operational?  There is no expected interruption to MABCD activities. 

Housing: 

How is Housing and Community Services impacted?  At this time, staff are working to serve those needing Housing and Community services Assistance as well as we can. Staff will contact those needing service as soon as possible. 

General Information

What Happened? On May 5, 2024, certain City systems were encrypted by malware. In response, some computer network and systems were shut down to prevent the spread of the malware. Certain services may be temporarily unavailable while systems are offline. The City is enabling business continuity measures, where appropriate, to minimize disruption and is working with third-party specialists to safely and securely restore the computer network.

What is encryption malware? Encryption malware is a type of computer virus that locks files without permission. A third party then seeks payment for a key to unlock the computer files. This is often called ransomware, which uses computer software to lock files and withhold the key to unlock the files until a payment is made. Unfortunately, government organizations are often targeted by these groups.

Has law enforcement been notified? Yes, federal and local law enforcement authorities are assisting with this matter.

What group is claiming responsibility? This is not being shared for operational security purposes.

What is the impact on data? We are completing a thorough review and assessment of this matter, including the potential impact on data. Detailed assessments of these types of incidents take time. We thank you for your patience, understanding, and respect for the integrity of this review process.

Are first responders (Fire/Police) still providing services? Yes, they are. They are prepared for these matters and have switched to business continuity measures where appropriate to continue providing exceptional service.

When will systems be back online? We are working with specialists to thoroughly review and assess systems before putting them back online. Systems will be restored on a staggered basis to minimize disruptions. We do not have a definitive timeline for returning all systems to production.