Borough of Westwood hit with malware attack compromising data stored in its systems

• The investigation revealed that unauthorized third parties gained access to Westwood systems and have introduced malware into its network.
• However, there has been no evidence of any information being viewed, accessed, or obtained by the unauthorized parties.

The Borough of Westwood in Bergen County, New Jersey, suffered a malware attack compromising the information stored in its systems.

What happened?

Westwood became aware of unusual activity on its network on December 22, 2019. Upon which, it retained a leading third-party forensics firm to launch an investigation to determine the nature of the activity. The investigation revealed that unauthorized third parties gained access to Westwood systems and have introduced malware into its network.

What information was compromised?

The data present in Westwood systems which include names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license number or state identification number, and bank account details might have been compromised.

However, there has been no evidence of any information being viewed, accessed, or obtained by the unauthorized parties.

What was the immediate action taken?

• Upon learning about the incident, Westwood took the necessary steps to contain the incident and secure its network.
• It has reported the incident to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the New Jersey State Police, and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
• It has also started notifying the potentially impacted individuals about the incident.
• It has further requested the individuals to remain vigilant and review their account statements for any suspicious activity.

“Based on the available evidence, the forensic investigation was unable to determine what, if any, information on the relevant Westwood systems may have been accessed. Therefore, in an abundance of caution, we are taking to steps to provide notice of this incident,” Westwood said in a security notice.