June 19, 2024 at 02:15PM
A firewall issue caused a two-hour 911 outage in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security confirmed that the outage was not caused by a cyberattack. While some emergency calls were affected, the system allows dispatch centers to identify and return calls. Measures have been taken to prevent a recurrence.
From the meeting notes, I have gathered the following key points:
– A statewide outage of the 911 emergency response system in Massachusetts occurred due to an errant firewall that prevented calls from reaching the 911 dispatch centers.
– The outage was described as a “technical issue” with the 911 vendor Comtech, resulting from a firewall installed for protection against cyberattacks and hacking.
– The outage, which lasted for approximately two hours, started around 1:15 pm on Tuesday and was fully restored at 3:15 pm.
– The interruption was not the result of a cyberattack or hack, but the exact reason for the firewall stopping calls from reaching dispatch centers is still under review.
– While some emergency calls were unsuccessful, the system allowed dispatch centers to identify callers’ phone numbers and return those calls.
– The State 911 Department has been assured by Comtech that they have applied a technical solution to prevent similar outages in the future.
If you require any further information or assistance, please feel free to ask.