Fort Smith computer attack investigation nearing an end

September 16, 2026 - 07:30

City officials in Fort Smith say the inquiry into a cyberattack on municipal computers is close to wrapping up after roughly a month of work. City Administrator Jeff Dingman released a statement late Tuesday confirming that investigators are finalizing their review of the incident, which disrupted city systems and prompted a broad response from technical teams.

The attack, discovered in mid August, forced staff to shift some services offline while specialists examined how the breach occurred and what data may have been affected. Dingman said the city has been working with outside cybersecurity experts to trace the source of the intrusion and to restore normal operations safely.

According to the statement, most city services have returned to normal, though some internal reviews continue. Officials have not yet released details about the method used by the attackers or whether any sensitive information was compromised. Dingman indicated that a full public report would follow once the investigation formally closes.

Residents were assured that essential functions such as emergency response and utility billing remained available throughout the recovery period. The city has also begun reviewing its network defenses to prevent similar incidents in the future. Dingman thanked employees and partner agencies for their patience during the prolonged disruption. Further updates are expected in the coming weeks as the final assessment is completed.