PETERSBURG – Township Administrator James Van Zlike updated residents at the Monday, June 8, Upper Township Committee meeting on the township’s response to a data breach and ransom notice that occurred on Dec. 8, 2025.
A letter was issued by Upper Township on May 27 to explain the nature of the breach that happened roughly six months earlier. Van Zlike explained on June 8 that the township did not want to rush the investigation and preferred to come back with accurate information. Van Zlike said law enforcement has urged the township to be discriminating in what information is released to the public.
Van Zike told the public that between Dec. 9 and Dec. 12, 2025, the township was in touch with local, county and state law enforcement, as well as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, and engaged a third-party IT specialist to investigate the matter.
Van Zlike said at the committee meeting there was a cyber attack on the township data and the attackers issued a ransom demand, which was not paid. He said he was limited in the amount of information that he could disclose, but that remediation and mitigation efforts were successful.
Van Zlike said, admittedly, there were a number of concerns expressed after the May 27 letter went out, including whether anyone’s information had been misused. That, he said, could not be determined. The letter encouraged residents to take certain steps to protect their information.
The letter did not go out to each of the township’s nearly 13,000 residents but was only mailed to affected persons. It gave a timeline of the township’s discovery and response to the cyber-attack. According to the letter, on Dec. 8, 2025, the township “discovered suspicious activity in our network environment.” An investigation was launched to determine the nature and scope of the incident. It was learned that an unauthorized actor had gained access to certain township files around Oct. 5, 2025, two months before being discovered.
A review of the data files, along with who might be affected by the breach, was completed on April 13. The letters went out addressed to specific people, reading, “We are notifying you because that investigation determined certain information related to you was contained within the impacted files.” The letter goes on to say the information contained in the breach included the recipients’ name and Social Security number.
The township informed the letter recipients of the investigation and efforts made to confirm the security of the township’s security systems, along with notifying any regulatory authorities. The letter indicates the township does have measures in place to protect information in its care, and continues to evaluate policies and procedures.
“As an added precaution, we are also offering 12 months of complimentary access to credit monitoring services through TransUnion,” the letter said, instructing recipients how to enroll in the service.
Van Zlike said the township is confident the breach has been stopped and the township has enhanced its ability to protect the township and individuals whose data it keeps. Van Zlike emphasized that the township was the victim of highly sophisticated criminals who specialize in these types of crimes, but with the help of law enforcement and cyber security professionals they have enhanced the township’s system security.
– STORY and PHOTO by CHRISTOPHER SOUTH/For the Sentinel
At top, Upper Township Administrator Jimmy Van Zlike addresses Township Committee Monday evening. At right is township solicitor John Amenhauser.
