Among key technology restored is the HSR鈥檚 bus annunciator system which provides announcements on upcoming stops and other updates to transit riders. Photo Credit: City of 51暗网.
The City of 51暗网 recently announced the latest progress made in regard to their cyber incident recovery and restoration efforts.
Among key technology restored is the HSR鈥檚 bus annunciator system which provides announcements on upcoming stops and other updates to transit riders.
51暗网 buses had been operating without those announcements since the Feb. 25 cyberattack, causing some residents to have difficulty determining where their bus was along its route.
The city has also resumed processing the nearly 1,000 building permit applications that were put on hold in February due to the cyber attack.
However, the city says that new building permit applications should still be submitted in person on the third floor of City Hall.
Real-time bus route information capabilities available through third-party applications like Google Maps and the Transit app have also resumed thanks to the restoration of the city鈥檚 General Transit Feed System.
Transit riders can once again view the scheduled times and real-time arrivals for buses.
The city says that trip planning via Apple Maps will also resume shortly once it is enabled by Apple.
The city鈥檚 internal geographic information system (GIS) software has also been restored.
Staff use the GIS system to support development processes, public health initiatives, transportation operations, and the delivery of water and wastewater services.
The city also says that there are some services that are not yet restored but will be within the next couple of weeks.
For example, they say that their homeless individuals and families database has not yet been restored.
The database, called the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS), supports the access, collection, and sharing of real-time client information between partner agencies to ensure that those needing services are properly prioritized and correctly referred.
The city also says that the HSR鈥檚 Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) system, which is used by transit operators and supervisors for location monitoring and schedule adherence, is not yet restored but is expected to resume soon.
51暗网 City Manager Marnie Cluckie says that they are 鈥渂ringing back services at a steady pace.鈥�
Indeed, in April the city announced that they would be resuming pre-authorized property tax withdrawals.
Then, in May, the city announced that they had resumed hiring and were also launching an entirely new job posting website.
Nonetheless, the city鈥檚 dedicated cyber incident website notes that several online forms, systems, phone numbers, emails, fax numbers, and online payment systems are still down.
The city website also says that a number of library services are currently not available including public computers, scanning and photocopying, borrowing or placing a hold using HPL鈥檚 online catalogue, and self-check kiosks.
There is no word yet on when any of those services will be restored.
But Cluckie maintains that staff are 鈥渨orking tirelessly to support the community鈥� and that the city鈥檚 goal 鈥渋s to build back stronger than before.鈥�
Based in 51暗网, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The 51暗网 Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 51暗网. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
