Cyberattack disrupts internet service for 23 Maine towns

A cyberattack targeting Tidewater Telecom disrupted internet service for at least 23 towns in Maine's midcoast region on Sunday, affecting municipal governments and residents, as reported by Statescoop.

The attack against the telecommunications firm caused significant internet outages, impacting the town office of Damariscotta, a community of approximately 2,300 residents. Services at the Damariscotta town office were described as "spotty to no internet service," limiting their ability to perform essential functions. Tidewater Telecom acknowledged the cyberattack on its website, stating that the issue was identified and a fix was being implemented.

The company reported working with internet uplinks to mitigate malicious traffic clogging the network, with services gradually improving. By Tuesday morning, services were reported to be near normal operating conditions. NBC reported that no consumer data was affected by the incident, indicating the attack likely focused on service disruption rather than data exfiltration.