BridgePay Hit by Ransomware, Says Customer Card Data Safe
▼ Summary
– BridgePay is experiencing a system-wide IT outage due to a ransomware attack.
– The company is investigating with cybersecurity experts and US authorities like the FBI.
– The initial investigation found no evidence that usable payment card data was compromised.
– BridgePay cannot yet provide a timeline for full system recovery and restoration of services.
– The outage is affecting US organizations, including a Florida city, preventing card and online payments.
A major US payment processing provider has confirmed a significant ransomware attack is responsible for a widespread system outage, though initial findings suggest sensitive payment card information remains secure. BridgePay Network Solutions, based in Florida, disclosed the incident in security alerts, noting the cyberattack resulted in a “system-wide service disruption” that has impacted numerous businesses relying on its services.
The company is actively collaborating with external cybersecurity experts and federal authorities, including the FBI and the US Secret Service forensic team, to investigate the breach and manage the response. According to their latest statement, preliminary forensic analysis indicates that no payment card data was compromised during the incident. The firm emphasized that any data potentially accessed by the attackers was encrypted, leading them to assert that “there is no evidence of usable data exposure.”
While this news offers some reassurance regarding data security, the operational impact is severe and ongoing. BridgePay has been unable to provide a concrete timeline for when full system functionality will be restored. The company acknowledged that recovery could be a lengthy endeavor, committing to work with urgency while providing regular updates on the restoration process. Protecting customers, partners, and operations remains the top priority as they navigate the complex recovery.
The repercussions of this outage extend far beyond BridgePay’s own operations, creating a ripple effect across the United States. Several organizations, particularly in the retail and restaurant sectors, have been forced to notify customers that they cannot process card payments due to the dependency on BridgePay’s platform. Municipal services are also affected; for instance, the City of Palm Bay in Florida issued a public warning that its online billing and payment portal is currently unavailable as a direct result of this service disruption. This situation underscores the critical nature of payment infrastructure and the broad vulnerability when a key service provider is compromised.
(Source: InfoSecurity Magazine)
