Records reveal new details from early May ‘network outage’ in KC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — FOX4 is learning more about the “ network outage ” that impacted the city’s systems in early May. On Thursday, May 9, FOX4 submitted a public records request to the city.

FOX4 asked for “any and all email messages, text messages, cellphone alerts, other electronic internal communications, and printed internal communications sent by the city manager’s office and the city’s IT department to city staff between May 4, 2024, and May 8, 2024, regarding IT outages and including cyber attacks, ransomware, online disruption, online payment issues, hacking, computer system issues, email issues and website issues.”

Thursday, July 25, FOX4 received our request, which came with more than 350 documents, all of which were emails. The records show that in May city leaders publicly were very careful not to call what happened a ‘cyber-attack.’

“While this process may take some time we are committed to performing a full and thorough investigation and keeping everyone updated,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news conference outside of City Hall Wednesday, May 15, a week and a half after the problems began.

On the morning of Saturday, May 4, General Services Director Yolanda McKinzy sent an email to city directors and City Manager Brian Platt that ‘the Internet and VPN services will not be available until further notice pending systems review.’

A few of the emails FOX4 obtained Thursday call into question whether what really happened in the city back in May was just a ‘network outage.’

Wednesday, May 8, a manager who we’re not naming, sent an email to another city worker.

“James, Please make note of the official words to use regarding the cyber issue. We are not using cyber-attack,” it said.

In the days prior, other workers used different wording.

“We (KCAD – Kansas City Airport Department) are having issues receiving emails today, due to some of our City Hall systems compromised by ransomware….” one email said Monday, May 6.

“Due to the city suffering a hacking attack that shut down the VPN, all remote work is canceled and employees need to report to the office until the issue is resolved. I realize you did not get word of this from your supervisor…” another email says that same day.

On Tuesday, May 7, another city worker sent out an email saying “The City of Kansas City Missouri government Network has been subject to a cyber attack over the weekend…”

Out of the hundreds of emails FOX4 obtained, we found that City Manager Brian Platt only responded once via email to an update regarding the water situation. That department’s phone and internet payment systems were down for about a week and a half because of the ‘network outage.’ Platt’s response was just two words on Monday, May 6, ‘Thank You.’

Fox4 asked for an on-the-record response from Platt’s office Friday via email, text and phone call about the ‘hacking attack’ and ‘cyber attack’ wordage. FOX4 had not heard back via any of those channels Friday evening. Fortunately for residents, the city’s phone and network issues were restored about two weeks after the problems were recognized.

Due to the lack of response from the City Manager’s Office, FOX4 sent a text to Mayor Lucas. He told us he was in Atlanta with Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, but that he’d be willing to talk about the issue the following week.

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