The North Ferry company has suspended online payments following a ransomware attack on its payment processor that occurred on February 6. While the FBI and Secret Service investigate the breach, management confirmed that no customer data was compromised and all pass holders will maintain access to the ferries regardless of their current account balance.
The North Ferry company recently informed its customers via email that a major service disruption has disabled its online payment system. General Manager Bridg Hunt later confirmed that the company was targeted in a ransomware attack, prompting an immediate investigation by federal authorities. Both the U.S. Secret Service and the FBI are currently handling the case to identify the source of the cyberattack and restore secure operations.
Despite the digital breach, there is no evidence that any sensitive customer information was accessed or stolen. Mr. Hunt emphasized that the integrity of passenger data remains intact. The company is prioritizing transparency during the recovery process and has committed to notifying all users as soon as the payment gateway is deemed safe for public use.
In the interim, the ferry service has implemented a flexible boarding policy to ensure residents and commuters are not stranded. Passengers who rely on the pass system will still be allowed to board even if their accounts are low on funds or completely empty. The company has stated that no pass cards will be confiscated or deactivated during this period of technical difficulty.
Once the system-wide issues are resolved, the company will bill customers for any trips taken during the outage. Travelers are still able to log into the official website to view their travel history and current balances, though they cannot add new funds at this time. North Ferry plans to send out alerts via text and email the moment the payment portal is back online.
On a more positive note, the company also announced that the ferry boat Menhaden has returned from the shipyard after completing necessary repairs. With this vessel back in the water, the company is operating with its full fleet between the Island and Greenport. This return to a regular sailing schedule ensures that despite the back-end technical hurdles, physical transportation services remain reliable and efficient.
Source: North Ferry Payment System Hit By Cyber Attack, Pass Holders Still Granted Access