City of Long Beach Shares Update on November 14, 2023, Network Security Incident
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Long Beach, CA –The City of Long Beach announced today updates to the ongoing investigation of the network security incident that occurred on or about Nov. 14, 2023. The incident, which the City announced when it occurred, resulted in an unauthorized actor obtaining access to the City's network. The City values and respects the personal information it maintains and is committed to being open and transparent with the community. Beginning April 14, 2025, the City is notifying people whose personal information may have been accessed and/or acquired as a result of the incident. While there is no indication that any information has been misused for the purpose of committing fraud or identity theft, the City is providing these notifications by law and out of an abundance of caution so that those impacted have the information, tools and resources to safeguard their personal information, should they feel it appropriate to do so.

"Data security is of the utmost importance, and we are committed to protecting the data that our community entrust to us," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "This has proven to be an unprecedented event for our organization, and we continue to take this investigation and its findings seriously. We will continue to be as transparent as we can, and we appreciate the patience and understanding from our community."

Since initial remediation of the network security incident, the City has been working very closely with leading, external cybersecurity professionals experienced in handling these types of incidents to complete the ongoing investigation. The City concluded its extensive forensic investigation and manual document review on March 18, 2025, and determined that certain impacted files containing personal information may have been accessed and/or acquired by an unauthorized individual(s).

The potentially impacted files contained first and last names in combination with one or more other data field(s), including: date of birth, financial account information, credit and/or debit card information, Social Security number, biometric information, medical diagnosis and/or treatment information, medical provider information, health insurance information, driver's license number, passport number, medical record number, taxpayer identification number, and patient account information. The types of personal information involved varied by individual and not every data element was impacted for each individual.

The City is notifying impacted individuals via U.S. mail on April 14, 2025, using their last known home address that is available to the City. The notification letters explain the services available to potentially affected individuals and provide tools to help safeguard individuals against identity fraud. In general, people are encouraged to take precautionary measures to protect their information, including placing a Fraud Alert and/or Security Freeze on credit files, obtaining free credit reports, and remaining vigilant in reviewing financial account statements and credit reports for fraudulent or irregular activity on a regular basis. Additionally, the City is offering people whose Social Security numbers were potentially impacted with complimentary credit-monitoring services in accordance with applicable state laws.

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A dedicated call-center number has been established to provide information and resources to those impacted. This response line is staffed with professionals familiar with this incident and knowledgeable on what people can do to protect against misuse of personal information. The toll-free and confidential response line is available at 888-802-9667, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time, excluding holidays. It is important to note that call center staff will not ask for, nor should people provide, a Social Security number or other personal information when calling the call center.

The City is also disclosing this information publicly on the City's webpage to ensure it is publicly accessible for all who believe they may have been impacted and did not receive a notification letter or have any further questions regarding this incident. An updated list of Frequently Asked Questions related to this update is also available in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog (available online soon).

"When this investigation first began, we committed to being open with our community and keeping the public informed of any updates regarding unauthorized access to people's personal information," said City Manager Tom Modica. "While thankfully there's no indication of any fraudulent activity as a result of this unauthorized access, we understand this news may resurface concern and angst for our residents, employees and stakeholders. Safeguarding City assets, including people's personal information, has been and will continue to be a top priority for our organization. We will continue to work closely with cybersecurity experts to enhance our security measures and minimize the likelihood of this type of incident from occurring again."

Long Beach continues to invest each year to enhance cybersecurity measures. As part of the City's Adopted Fiscal Year 2025 Budget, $1 million was added to enhance cybersecurity and information technology infrastructure through the use of cybersecurity experts, training, testing, data loss prevention tools, and more. The City continually evaluates and modifies its practices to enhance the security and privacy of the personal information it maintains and requires all City employees to complete an annual mandatory cybersecurity awareness training, among other safeguarding techniques.

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Incident Background & Previous Updates:
The City experienced a network security incident on or about Nov. 14, 2023, whereby an unauthorized third party gained access to the City's network. Upon discovery, the City immediately initiated a thorough and detailed technical investigation with the assistance of external information technology experts. The City also notified law enforcement and the community and temporarily took City systems offline. In the following weeks, most City systems were restored and brought back online. The City has since continued to work closely with leading, external cybersecurity professionals to further the investigation. The City concluded its extensive forensic investigation and manual document review on March 18, 2025.

On Oct. 7, 2024, the City provided an update on the incident webpage, stating that it continues to work with third-party cybersecurity professionals to determine the nature and scope of data that was accessed and/or acquired. The update also explained that, because the process of identifying impacted individuals and/or information is incredibly detailed and time-intensive, it can be lengthy, but that progress is being made and the process may be close to completion in the upcoming months.

More detailed information about this incident is available on the Network Security Incident webpage at longbeach.gov/networksecurityincident. Additional information about the notifications is available here.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

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