Widespread Emergency Alert System Outage
A cyberattack targeting OnSolve, the provider of the widely used CodeRED emergency alert system, has resulted in a service outage affecting numerous U.S. state and local governments. The incident, which began around May 15, 2024, prompted OnSolve to take the CodeRED platform offline, preventing authorities from issuing critical public safety notifications through the service.
Government agencies across the country confirmed the disruption. The Gallatin County, Montana Sheriff’s Office informed residents via social media that the outage was due to a cybersecurity event at OnSolve. Similarly, the Oldham County Emergency Management Agency in Kentucky announced that its CodeRED system was down. The Florida Department of Emergency Management also acknowledged the outage, clarifying that the state’s separate Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), managed by FEMA, remained operational.
OnSolve Confirms Cybersecurity Event
In an email to customers, OnSolve CEO Sue Holub confirmed the company had detected a “cybersecurity event” on its network. The communication stated that upon discovering “malicious activity,” the company took certain systems offline as a precautionary measure to contain the threat. This action included the CodeRED service.
According to the company’s statement, OnSolve has engaged third-party cybersecurity experts to assist with the investigation and response. The company also reported the incident to law enforcement agencies. OnSolve stated it is actively working to restore the impacted services for its government clients.
Concise Cyber 