Update 12/23:
Pittsburgh Regional Transit on Monday said an internet outage reported by the agency on Dec. 19, which caused service delays and computer shutdowns, is related to a ransomware attack and that PRT is "actively responding."
The early-morning outage caused delays in light-rail service and shut down agency customer service computers. Transit services were restored later in the day, but some rider services are still affected. Those services include PRT’s Customer Service Center, which is temporarily unable to accept or process Senior and Kid’s ConnectCards.
"Upon discovering the incident, PRT immediately launched an investigation, activated its Cyber Incident Response Team, notified law enforcement, and engaged nationally recognized third-party cybersecurity and data forensics experts," PRT spokesman Adam Brandolph said in a statement Monday.
"These teams are working diligently to determine if any information has been compromised," he said. Due to the "sensitive nature of the situation," Brandolph added, PRT cannot release additional details about the incident.
"PRT takes seriously the security of its systems and the data it stores," he said in the statement. "PRT is committed to providing public updates as the investigation evolves."
Original story:
An internet outage early Thursday at Pittsburgh Regional Transit delayed rail cars and shut down the computers at customer service. But things should be back to normal for the afternoon rush and Friday-morning commutes, according to PRT spokesperson Adam Brandolph.
Earlier Thursday morning, PRT couldn’t track rail cars remotely or make public announcements at T stations. They’re now back online. Only the computers at customer service remain down, but phone lines are open. Riders who need to contact customer service should call 412-442-2000.
The outage caused 20- to 30-minute delays on the T that continued throughout the morning. Brandolph said that delay should improve throughout the day and the evening commute should run smoothly.
In a separate issue, the Mon Incline was also out of service for much of the day after being closed around 8 p.m. Wednesday due to a communications system issue, the cause of which is still being determined. It reopened at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
PRT said earlier this year that it planned to commission an independent review of the incline and appoint an oversight committee to resolve issues that forced the 154-year-old funicular to close several times during the past year.
