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Lansing Utility Company Loses 14 Employees After Cyberattack

Lansing
Reginald Hardwick
/
WKAR-MSU
Lansing, from Grand River Avenue

A utility company in Lansing is still transitioning back to stability after a cyberattack temporarily disabled the company's internal network and required it to pay a $25,000 ransom over a year ago.

Dick Peffley, general manager for the Board of Water & Light, confirmed this week that 13 information technology employees as well as the emergency management director left after an April 2016 cyberattack that officials say didn't compromise any customer or employee data.

Todd Bertolozzi, one of the IT employees who left the company, says utility rate-payers should be concerned about BWL's security because of the staffing losses.

Peffley says none of the employees who left were asked to resign, nor did they receive severance packages.

Records obtained by the Lansing State Journal (http://on.lsj.com/2qBykGu ) show the cyberattack cost the utility about $2 million.

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