The city has launched a new job-posting website to replace one that a sweeping ransomware attack on Hamilton’s municipal IT networks has knocked out of commission.
The new platform allows the city to resume stalled recruiting efforts, including postings for full-time, part-time and student positions, the city announced Monday.
“The city has approximately 200 positions currently open — the bulk of which are in recreation to support our summer programming for day camps, wading pools, and Supie programs,” Jodi Koch, director of talent and diversity, told The Spectator. Roughly 35 of those are for general-labour student positions.
“Restoring our ability to post city jobs and summer student roles is crucial for the operations of our city and also for providing valuable employment opportunities to our youth during the summer,” Mayor Andrea Horwath said in a news release.
The new tool “simplifies the job application experience” and “integrates with social media and key job posting platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed,” which will “enhance” the search for candidates, city manager Marnie Cluckie added.
The Feb. 25 ransomware attack has affected a slew of municipal systems, ranging from tax collection to building permits, public health programs, transit operations and CityHousing functions.
“I will say that this incident has been a very difficult situation for staff to overcome,” CEO Adam Sweedland recently told the CityHousing board of directors. “The comment I’m hearing and I feel it myself is that it takes three to four times as long to do everything that you used to be able to do quickly.”
The city has posted a list of affected services, including details of job postings, on its website, Hamilton.ca.
In ransomware attacks, criminals invade networks, demanding victims pay ransom to unlock encrypted files and prevent the release of data to the underground market. In Hamilton, city officials say the municipality has not paid a ransom.
“Based on the forensic analysis completed by the city’s team of cybersecurity experts, we have no evidence that people’s personal data has been compromised,” Cluckie said via email.
To help with the recovery effort, the city has hired cybersecurity consultant Cypfer, accounting and risk-management firm Deloitte, and Redbrick Communications, a communications specialist that attended a closed-session update with council last week.
In an interview, Horwath noted the city’s insurance provider requires certain contractors in such emergencies, including firms that specialize in crisis communications to ensure messaging doesn’t “negatively affect our vulnerability.”
Throughout the ordeal, officials have declined to share certain details of the ransomware assault, including how it happened and what ransom was demanded, citing ongoing security concerns.
The city hasn’t said how much responding to the attack has cost so far, either. A tally was expected to be presented to council last week but delayed, Horwath noted.
“I’m going to make sure that we have something that we can bring out publicly because it’s important.”
Staff will present a public report on costs during an “upcoming” council meeting, said Cluckie, noting the date hasn’t been confirmed yet.
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