BlackByte's attack on the City of Augusta's IT systems, the theft of 10 GB of data, or the actual ransom demand made by the ransomware gang. An internal inquiry discovered that network servers had been accessed without authorization, and the city's computer systems were having technical issues. In addition, the mayor stated that the IT division was looking into the situation and that there was no proof at the time that the ransomware gang had accessed any private information. The story had surfaced in the media in the days following the cyberattack, and the mayor of Augusta wanted to inform his citizens that the $50 million ransom was not the actual sum demanded by the BlackByte gang.

City of Augusta was hit by a malicious computer virus that froze the city’s computer network forced the closure of Augusta City Center. The virus attacked upon the city’s servers and shut down computers used by public safety dispatchers, but not the city’s phone system or the public safety radio system.