A ransomware group posted a victim claim involving Cocoa, Florida, as the city reported an ongoing disruption to some IT systems that has limited certain services and prompted an emergency declaration, while officials said 911 and dispatch remain operating.
The ransomware-tracking site ransomware.live listed Cocoa as a claimed victim of the “INCRansom” group on Feb. 23, reflecting activity on the group’s leak site. The city has not publicly confirmed a cyberattack or ransomware incident and has described the situation only as “technical issues.” DysruptionHub emailed the city seeking confirmation of whether the disruption is cyber-related, whether the claim is accurate, and what operational impacts residents should expect, but received no response as of publication.
City officials said the problems were identified Feb. 16 and that Cocoa is working with partners and technical specialists to assess and restore systems. City Council approved an emergency declaration Feb. 17 to authorize emergency spending and speed the deployment of staff and resources.
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While restoration continues, the city said it has implemented backup processes to keep services moving. In a public FAQ, officials said cash payments for water bills are temporarily not accepted, though customers can still pay online, by phone, or by check at City Hall. The city also suspended delinquency processing and said late fees will be waived until further notice.
The disruption has also affected access to some online customer-service requests submitted in recent days, including certain water turn-on/off requests, which the city said now require in-person paper applications at City Hall. Officials emphasized emergency operations and dispatch remain operating and advised residents to dial 911 in an emergency.
Florida’s recent cyber incidents show how both vendor attacks and direct compromises can disrupt public services.
A Feb. 6 ransomware attack on Florida-based payment processor BridgePay Network Solutions rippled across the country, knocking out card-payment portals used by cities and utilities and forcing some customers into alternate payment methods while the company worked with federal authorities, including the FBI and U.S. Secret Service.
Separately, Midway, Florida confirmed a ransomware breach involving the police department’s SmartCOP records system, disrupting access to police documents and public records and prompting an investigation as officials assessed potential exposure of sensitive files.
Cocoa, a city of roughly 19,000 in Brevard County on Florida’s Space Coast, said it will continue posting updates as restoration work continues.
