DUBLIN, Calif.–The online systems at Patelco Credit Union remain offline due to a ransomware attack, with the credit union now telling its 500,000 members it does not expect it will be able to restore service by this weekend.
Patelco CU was hit by what it called a “serious security incident” approximately a week ago that resulted in an outage of electronic transactions, such as balance inquiries and payments. It confirmed it has shut down its system as it works with a cybersecurity team to recover access to its data.
There has been no statement issued on whether a ransom has been demanded by the hackers.
‘Good News’
There has been some “good news,” according to Patelco in an update on its website. The $9.7-billion PCU said its “cyber security specialists have validated and greenlighted our core systems – your money is safe and secure. Our cyber security professionals continue the larger forensic investigation on all our file systems. When we have information about those, we will share it.”
Despite that positive, and even with its tech team and other cybersecurity professionals working 24/7 on restoring service, Patelco CU told members it does not expect it will be able to restore its systems over the weekend.
Call Center Open on Holiday
The credit union said its call center was open on the July 4 holiday from 8-5, although as it has announced earlier, access to certain member account data is limited.
Patelco told members they are still able to use Venmo and PayPal, and that members with loans will not be penalized, incur fees, or be penalized because of missed payments while its systems are down.
Cash withdrawals and deposits can also be made at Patelco ATMs and as part of the shared branch networks.
‘Frustration and Questions’
“I know this continues to cause our members frustration and many of you have questions,” CEO Erin Mendez said in a statement on the Patelco website. “We hear your concerns and are working around the clock to address them. Our team is committed to doing everything we can to support our members through this difficult situation.”
Ongoing Media Coverage
The outage continues to receive widespread coverage in Bay Area media, especially given the credit union’s location just north of Silicon Valley. The Mercury News reported some members were waiting in lines to use ATMs, while others had turned to branches to withdraw cash even though they are still unable to access their statement balances.