Ransomware gang Interlock today claimed responsibility for a November 2024 cyber attack on the local Noblesville, Indiana government.
“The City of Noblesville recently experienced a security incident, which affected some of our systems,” the city announced on November 27.
Interlock says it stole an SQL database containing confidential data of employees, the police, and emergency services.
Local officials have not verified Interlock’s claim, which says the ransomware group stole 4,140 GB of data. We do not yet know what data was compromised, if Noblesville paid a ransom, how much Interlock demanded, or how attackers breached the city government’s network.
City officials declined to answer Comparitech’s questions. In an emailed statement, press secretary Robert Herrington told Comparitech, “The forensic investigation is ongoing, and no additional information is available at this time.”
Who is Interlock?
Interlock is a new ransomware gang that first started adding targets to its leak site in October 2024. The group claimed six confirmed attacks to date, plus seven more that haven’t been acknowledged by targets.
Notable Interlock attacks include a major data breach at Texas Tech University Health System, which compromised 1.5 million people, and an attack on Brockton Neighborhood Health Center in Massachusetts last month.
Ransomware attacks on US government
Ransomware attacks on US government agencies and departments can steal data and lock down computer systems. The attacker then demands a ransom to delete the stolen data and in exchange for a key to recover infected systems. If the target doesn’t pay, it could take weeks or even months to restore systems, and people whose data was stolen are put at greater risk of fraud. Ransomware can disrupt everything from communications to billing, payroll, and online services.
Comparitech researchers logged 83 confirmed ransomware attacks on US government entities so far in 204, exceeding the number of attacks in 2023 (79). The average ransom is $954,000.
Also in December, ransomware attacks hit the local government in Wood County, OH and Rhode Islands public benefits system, RIBridges. Ransomware group Brain Cipher claims it stole 1 TB of data from RIBridges.
About Noblesville, IN
Noblesville is the county seat of Hamilton County, Indiana and a suburb of Indianapolis. The population is 69,604 as of the 2020 census.
