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Bernalillo, NM Offers $82,000 Ransom After Cyberattack Disrupts Town Services

Bernalillo, NM Offers $82,000 Ransom After Cyberattack Disrupts Town Services

First seen 31 Oct 2026, 00:13 UTC • •
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ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •October 31, 2026 at 01:13 UTC
  • •Bernalillo's town council approved an $82,000 ransom offer to recover from a ransomware attack.
  • •The attack disrupted critical services, including online water-bill payments and the Motor Vehicle Division.
  • •The town is working with the FBI and cybersecurity experts to investigate and restore services.

The Town of Bernalillo, NM, has been hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted various municipal services, including the Motor Vehicle Division and online water-bill payments. The town council unanimously approved an offer of $82,000 to the attackers in hopes of regaining access to their systems. Mayor Jack Torres stated that while most services are back online, residents still cannot pay water bills online and must do so in person or by mail. The attack was initially misidentified as an internet outage on October 9, before being confirmed as a ransomware incident. The town is collaborating with the FBI and cybersecurity experts to investigate the breach and restore services. Despite the ransom offer, there is no guarantee that the attackers will provide a decryption key or restore operations. The town is also waiving late payment fees during this period.

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Timeline

2026-10-09
Initial detection of suspicious activity
IT staff initially thought the issue was an internet outage before discovering a ransomware attack.
nm.news
2026-10-16
Major disruption of town services
Key municipal services were reported disrupted, prompting further investigation into the attack.
Hoodline
2026-10-30
Council approves ransom payment
The Bernalillo town council unanimously voted to offer $82,000 to the attackers to regain access to their systems.
Hoodline
2026-10-31
Public announcement of the attack
Officials confirmed the cyberattack and ongoing efforts to restore services while waiving late payment fees.
KOB

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Common questions

What services were affected by the attack?
The attack disrupted the Motor Vehicle Division, online water-bill payments, and police body cameras.
Is there a guarantee the ransom will restore services?
No, there is no guarantee that paying the ransom will result in the attackers providing a decryption key.
What steps is Bernalillo taking to prevent future attacks?
The town is working with the FBI and cybersecurity experts to investigate the breach and develop a prevention plan.