Security News > 2021 > April > Malware attack is preventing car inspections in eight US states

A malware cyberattack on emissions testing company Applus Technologies is preventing vehicle inspections in eight states, including Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Utah, and Wisconsin.
On Tuesday, March 30th, vehicle emissions testing platform Applus Technologies suffered a "Malware" attack that caused them to disconnect their IT systems.
"Unfortunately, incidents such as this are fairly common and no one is immune," said Darrin Greene, CEO of the US entity, Applus Technologies, Inc. "We apologize for any inconvenience this incident may cause. We know our customers and many vehicle owners rely on our technology and we are committed to restoring normal operations as quickly as possible."
Department of Motor Vehicle agencies in affected states warn that inspections will likely not be available through April 6th and maybe longer.
As the outage prevents vehicle owners from having their cars inspected, there is concern that law enforcement may issue citations for lapsed inspections.
While it is not known what type of malware was associated with the attack, Applus was likely targeted by a ransomware attack.
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