Local law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma, Massachusetts responding to cyber incidents

Local law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma, Massachusetts responding to cyber incidents

Hackers have successfully targeted local law enforcement agencies in two states this week, launching cyberattacks that impacted IT systems. 

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office in Oklahoma published a message on Thursday saying it was facing a ransomware attack that affected parts of its internal computer system. 

Officials said there was no interruption to public safety services and deputies were still able to respond to 911 calls. 

“County IT, which manages the county’s network, is actively working to resolve the issue. We are still assessing the full scope of the incident and will share updates as more information becomes available,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

“We’re sharing this proactively to ensure accurate information and prevent rumors.”

Cleveland County is home to about 300,000 people — a third of which live in the city of Norman, home to the University of Oklahoma. The county is about 20 minutes directly south of Oklahoma City.

No ransomware gang has taken credit for the attack on Cleveland County as of Friday. Multiple cities in Oklahoma have been impacted by ransomware in 2025, including the cities of Durant and Grove. 

Attleboro email knocked offline

The Massachusetts city of Attleboro reported a cyberattack impacting the local government and the police department. 

The city released a notice on Thursday saying officials are investigating activity that has forced government IT systems offline. 

They are now working with cybersecurity experts, federal agencies and the city insurance provider to resolve the outages.  

“All other phone lines to the City of Attleboro and Attleboro Police Department are currently not functioning at this time. Additionally, email service is down citywide, affecting all employees and departments,” the city said.

“Dispatchers have made some manual adjustments, but Attleboro Police and Fire continue to respond to emergency calls without any interruption. Other area police and fire departments can still reach Attleboro dispatch through normal mutual aid channels.”

The city provided alternate phone numbers for the police and fire departments that can be used for non-emergency situations. 

Attleboro City Hall is still open but staff have to use paper forms and can only accept offline bill and tax payments. 

The city admitted that some departments may not be able to perform some tasks until systems are restored, warning residents that delays should be expected as they revert back to paper-based procedures.  

Mayor Cathleen DeSimone said the city is prioritizing maintaining emergency services and keeping the public informed.

“We are taking direct steps to manage this incident and will continue regular updates as work continues,” she said, adding that the local public school system has not been affected. 

Attleboro, home to about 50,000 people, is on the border with Rhode Island and is 20 minutes from Providence.