Cyberattack against the City of Westmount – Mayor’s message

(Speech delivered at the Regular Council Sitting on December 5th, 2022)

I would like to say a few words about the cyberattack on our City. Everyone should know that we are fully aware that this event raises concerns in the community and among our employees. And rightly so. The media also want to know more about this situation. This is perfectly normal. Although more and more frequent in our society, a cyberattack is a serious event.

But precisely because it is a particularly delicate and serious event, we must manage all its aspects strategically and with great care, including the communication aspect.

First, let me remind you of the facts. On Sunday, November 20, the cyberattack was detected by our I.T. Department. The attack is believed to have come from a criminal group named Lockbit 3.0. This group claims to have gained access to a significant amount of City data, some of which are actually already in the public domain.

The attack affected several of the City’s servers. We immediately hired an external cyber security firm to help contain the attack and resolve the situation. The City of Montreal Police Department (the SPVM) was also notified of the situation and an official complaint was filed.

The attack, and the actions taken to contain it, have had an impact on some of the City’s communication services. Other departments were also affected by the situation but, for the most part, we were able to maintain City operations.

I know there are still many questions, and some of you would like to know more. However, I am sure that you will understand that in order not to impede our efforts, and due to the criminal nature of this incident, we cannot release every last detail about the attack. An update on the incident will be provided at the appropriate time.

What I can tell you is that our teams acted swiftly and continue to work 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. We are supported by some of the best cybersecurity specialists in the country. In fact, as I am speaking to you now, the situation is under control, and we are already almost fully operational. This recovery was achieved in an exceptional timeframe, despite the circumstances.

You can also be assured that we will do everything possible to protect our residents’ data, and are committed to following best practices and complying with all applicable legislation regarding privacy protection.

This incident will also be thoroughly investigated to determine how and why it occurred.

As I mentioned in my previous statement about this incident, we live in a hyper-connected world that makes our lives easier in many ways. But the increase in these cyberattacks is a downside of this new reality.

Despite all the measures that organizations put in place, there is no such thing as zero risk. There will always be vulnerabilities, and, unfortunately, there will always be malicious actors. Our role as an organization, especially as a public administration, is to do everything in our power to limit our vulnerabilities and protect our information assets. I also invite all Westmount residents, and the general public, to remain cautious and vigilant in today’s digital world.

The renowned Pierre de Coubertin said, “Every difficulty we encounter must be an opportunity for new progress”. So, we will learn from this experience and continue to improve our technological infrastructure to make our I.T. structure more secure and resilient.

Thank you for your understanding, your patience, and your trust.

Christina M. Smith
Mayor of Westmount