A ransomware gang known as Inc has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack targeting the city of Meriden, Connecticut, over the weekend, adding to growing concerns about attacks on public sector systems.

City officials first disclosed issues on February 17, noting that several municipal services had been disrupted for weeks. Residents experienced delays in services such as water billing, while operations at the city clerk and tax collector’s offices continued to face restoration challenges even more than a month later.

The group Inc published its claim on its data leak platform, sharing sample screenshots of what it alleges are documents taken from the city’s systems. However, Meriden authorities have not confirmed the group’s involvement, and independent verification of the breach details remains unavailable. It is still unclear what information may have been accessed, how the attackers infiltrated the network, whether any ransom was paid, or the amount demanded. Officials have not issued further clarification following outreach for comment.

"The City of Meriden recently identified an attempted interruption of our internet services," says Scarpati's February 17 notice.

"This will not affect any emergency services provided to the city. However, non-essential services may be limited or altered until the internet is restored. "

Inc is a ransomware operation that emerged in July 2023 and has since targeted organizations across sectors such as healthcare, education, and government. The group typically relies on tactics like spear phishing and exploiting known software vulnerabilities to gain access to systems. Once inside, it deploys malware capable of both extracting sensitive data and encrypting systems, demanding payment in exchange for restoration.

Since its emergence, Inc has claimed involvement in 704 cyberattacks, with 175 incidents confirmed by affected organizations. Among these confirmed cases, 25 involved government entities.

Earlier in April, the group also took responsibility for breaching Namibia Airports Company, which manages several major airports in the country.

So far in 2026, Inc has reported 124 attacks, of which 11 have been verified by the impacted organizations.

Researchers have identified at least 10 confirmed ransomware incidents affecting US government entities in 2026 alone, underscoring a persistent threat to public infrastructure.

Recent cases include an attack on the Jackson County, Indiana sheriff’s office, which stated it would not comply with ransom demands. Meanwhile, Foster City, California, has recently restored its communication systems following a cyberattack that began in mid-March.

Other municipalities and institutions reporting similar incidents include Passaic County, New Jersey; Midway, Florida; Winona County, Minnesota; New Britain, Connecticut; Tulsa International Airport, Oklahoma; Huntington, West Virginia; and Hart, Michigan.

Ransomware attacks on government systems can have far-reaching consequences, from data theft to widespread service outages. Critical functions such as billing, court records, and emergency response systems may be affected. Authorities often face a difficult decision between paying ransom demands to regain access or dealing with prolonged disruptions, potential data loss, and increased risks of fraud.