Middletown’s Cybersecurity Recovery Update: Utility Billing Resumes and More
The City of Middletown has recently shared an important update regarding its ongoing recovery from a significant cyberattack that disrupted various municipal services earlier this year. On November 20, 2025, city officials provided insights into the resumption of utility billing, the status of delinquent accounts, and broader efforts aimed at restoring the affected systems.
Restart of Utility Billing
As part of the recovery process, Middletown will recommence utility billing in December. Given that the billing systems have been offline for several months, residents can expect the initial bills to reflect estimated usage based on last year’s consumption during the same period. Additionally, these estimates will include a 25% surcharge to cover service fees accrued during the outage.
Residents can also anticipate full back billing for flat-fee services, which include refuse collection, stormwater management, and toter charges. The city plans to revert to standard billing cycles for these services by January 2026.
Continued Estimated Billing
Although the aim is to return to traditional meter readings, city officials have noted that a specific timeline for this transition is still pending. Until all systems are restored, estimated billing will persist into early 2026. Once the city is able to resume normal meter readings, any actual usage during the outage will be averaged across six billing cycles, helping to ease the financial impact on residents.
Delinquent Accounts and Service Continuity
In light of the cyberattack, Middletown temporarily halted utility shutoffs, particularly for accounts that were already delinquent before the cyber incident. Now, the city will resume shutoffs solely for those pre-existing delinquent accounts.
Residents who have outstanding balances will receive personalized notices detailing payment options and steps to avoid service interruptions. For questions or further assistance, residents are encouraged to reach out to the Utility Billing Office at (513) 425-7870.
Progress on System Recovery
In a prior update dated October 27, 2025, city officials noted that significant strides have been made in restoring essential systems. Communication channels, such as phone lines, Wi-Fi, and city email accounts, are now back up and running. However, certain departments continue to operate under temporary backup processes while they work toward full network restoration.
In mid-August, the city experienced the cyber attack, prompting immediate action to shut down affected systems and engage third-party cybersecurity experts for a secure restoration and detailed forensic investigation.
Impacts at the Department Level
Here’s how various departments have been affected:
- Utility Billing: New bills cannot be generated until the restoration of systems is complete.
- Payments: Residents can still pay previously issued bills through InvoiceCloud or in person at the City Building.
- Court Records: In-person searches for court records are available.
- Police Fingerprint Checks: These services are currently unavailable. Residents are advised to seek fingerprint checks from county, state, or federal agencies.
Ongoing Investigation and Data Impact
The investigation into the cyberattack is still ongoing, with support from external cybersecurity experts. As of now, it is uncertain whether any resident data has been compromised. City officials have emphasized that the process of determining what information might have been accessed and who may be affected is complex and still in progress. Should any personal information be confirmed as exposed, the city is committed to notifying and assisting those individuals.
Middletown is working closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies during the investigation. At this time, there is no indication that any compromised data has been exploited for fraudulent activities or identity theft.
As the city continues its efforts in recovery and restoration, it remains focused on ensuring transparency and keeping the community informed every step of the way.
