NEWARK -- A cyber attack against the Newark Police Department computer network shut down various systems used by the department for several days last week, NJ Advance Media has learned.

Officials did not specify when the attack began, but sources told NJ Advance Media that the attack started at some point last week.

Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose confirmed that department staffers were unable to access the systems for three days while staffers worked to clear servers of a virus implanted during the attack.

The virus temporarily locked down the servers, blocking access to the computer program used by the department to track and analyze crime data, and also the program used to dispatch police and emergency officers.

"The virus did not disrupt the delivery of emergency services to our citizens," Ambrose said. A backup system was used to dispatch emergency officers while staffers worked to restore the programs, said a spokesman for the department.

According to department officials, there is no indication that any information stored on the affected servers was compromised.

Per protocol, the department reported the breach to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, the FBI and the New Jersey State Police, officials said.



Department officials declined to disclose what security measures failed during the attack. But additional safeguards have been implemented to "further reduce the likelihood of another infection," Ambrose said.

Officials declined to say if any suspects had been identified in the attack. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.