Portland lost $1.4M in a ‘cybersecurity breach’

Officials with the city of Portland say they’ve lost $1.4 million due to a “cybersecurity breach.”

City officials recently learned of a “fraudulent financial transaction” that occurred late last month, according to a press statement issued Friday afternoon by the city’s Office of Management and Finance. City officials realized there had been a breach after another attempt was made on May 17.

“Preliminary evidence indicates that an unauthorized, outside entity gained access to a City of Portland email account to conduct this illegal activity,” the release states.

The city is staying tight-lipped about the incident. A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Finance said they could not provide additional information beyond what was in the statement.

According to the release, the city has activated a “cyber incident response team” to investigate the breach and it has notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service and the Portland Police Bureau.

“This incident demonstrates the growing threat of cyberattacks against individuals, businesses and communities worldwide,” the statement read. “At the City of Portland, we have invested in technology and established policies to minimize that threat.”

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