Thomasville, North Carolina, Investigates Cyberattack on City Systems
City officials in Thomasville, North Carolina, are investigating a cyberattack that targeted municipal systems on Monday, June 9, 2025. The breach, detected around 1 p.m., involved unauthorized activity within the city’s digital infrastructure. The city immediately engaged third-party cybersecurity firms and alerted state and federal authorities, including the FBI and the North Carolina National Guard. Officials confirmed criminal activity occurred within city networks but have not determined whether any sensitive data was compromised. Public safety operations remain fully functional, although some internal systems may experience temporary disruptions as the investigation continues.
City Manager Michael Brandt and Deputy City Manager Eddie Bowling emphasized Thomasville’s commitment to transparency and protecting resident data. The city is working to strengthen its cybersecurity protocols and restore affected services, while also pledging to notify individuals directly if their personal information is found to be at risk. Cybersecurity analysts note that municipalities like Thomasville are frequent targets due to their integrated systems with law enforcement, courts, and schools. Residents are advised to remain vigilant against phishing emails, scam texts, and identity fraud.
Located in Davidson County, Thomasville is a city of about 27,000 residents in central North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region, near Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Once a national hub for furniture manufacturing, the city is best known for its 30-foot “Big Chair,” a local landmark symbolizing its industrial heritage. Its small size and reliance on legacy systems may increase vulnerability to digital threats — a pattern reflected in other recent attacks on similar municipalities.
The Thomasville breach adds to a wave of cyber incidents affecting local governments in 2025. Recent attacks have targeted municipalities in Durant, Oklahoma; Lorain County, Ohio; and DuPage County, Illinois; and the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office in Georgia. These incidents, which span the first half of the year, underscore an escalating national trend in which smaller jurisdictions face increasing cyber risks due to outdated infrastructure and limited IT resources.