Cyberattack disrupts Washington State Department of Transportation services

The Washington State Department of Transportation lost much of its public travel technology on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, after what the agency described as a security incident that appeared aimed at interrupting the flow of travel-related information. The department's website, traffic cameras and mobile app went down, along with the statewide travel map, ferry vessel watch video feeds, mountain pass reports and the online permit system used by commercial freight operators.

WSDOT spokesperson Barbara LaBoe said there was no indication the incident had spread beyond outward-facing systems. The department's own IT staff ran the investigation. LaBoe told Government Technology that WSDOT would work closely with law enforcement "when and if needed," indicating the matter had not been referred out at that point.

Restoration was staged. Traffic and mountain pass cameras came back by Thursday, but the travel map, parts of the mobile app, the ferry vessel watch feeds and the online freight permit system were still being restored as of Friday, November 10. Hauliers needing oversize load permits had to apply in person at 13 state locations, and ferry schedules were redirected to alternative platforms.

No group claimed the attack and WSDOT offered no attribution. The Record reported that the department did not respond to questions about whether ransomware was involved. The cause remained under investigation through the second week of November 2023.