MARIETTA, Ga. — The City of Marietta cannot currently process online business license payments due to a vendor being targeted in a ransomware attack.
According to city officials, one of the payment gateway providers is one of several targets in a nationwide ransomware attack on BridgePay Network Solutions.
Marietta city staff told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell that the ransomware attack happened on Feb. 6 and is affecting hundreds of local governments across the country.
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“We are actively working to implement a secure alternative payment solution so online Business License payments can resume while the issue is being resolved,” city officials said.
For now, customers can make payments in person for business licenses, excise taxes, liquor, hotel and motel, and auto rental payments.
The city said once an alternative online option is enabled, those will also be the first services for which payments will be restored.
“At this time, if a credit card payment is needed for a Business License, payments may be made in person at City Hall in the Business License Office, located on the first floor at 205 Lawrence Street,” the City of Marietta said.
BridgePay reported that there were no indications that any payment card data was compromised or that usable data had been exposed.
“Residents are not impacted by this. The majority of it is our business license online payments. There was no ransomware attack for the city, our systems and data were not compromised.
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“This was a different company that experienced this breach and they service hundreds of municipalities as a gateway payment provider,” Marietta Communications Manager Rachel Langelotti said.
“It’s really disheartening, and it hurts me to hear that’s happening,” said business owner Tony Hoops.
Hoops owns Satoria on The Square.
“We’ve been here now for over 20 years. You won’t find what I’ve got pretty much from anyone else unless you do some hard digging,” he said.
Hoops said the ransomware attack is an example of why he doesn’t make any payments online, including business license renewals.
“It gives me that validation of why I don’t do online stuff. I walk my payments straight down to the courthouse. I don’t play with online stuff,” he said.
“The city is proactively working to find a secure online payment method hopefully this week soon we’ll be able to roll something out,” Langelotti said.
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