Patelco Credit Union’s ‘serious’ security breach leaves customers without banking access for days: Here’s the latest update

A security incident at Patelco Credit Union over the past weekend has left nearly half a million customers unable to access their accounts or make necessary transactions. Here’s the latest update and what customers need to know:

What happened?

Patelco, headquartered in Dublin with 37 branches in Northern California, disclosed that a “serious security incident” occurred on Saturday, forcing the suspension of its online banking and mobile app services. This disruption has prevented customers from making payments, receiving direct deposits, or transferring funds.

Rina Johnson, Patelco’s vice president of marketing, confirmed to the news site Berkeleyside on Monday afternoon that the breach was a ransomware attack. Johnson explained that shutting down certain systems was a proactive measure to contain and address the issue, and a third-party cybersecurity firm is assisting with the investigation and recovery efforts.

The credit union has set up a dedicated web page for updates.

Understandably, some customers—even those with longstanding relationships with Patelco—are frustrated and anxious about how they will manage their finances during this outage. Marina Bukowski, an Albany resident and Patelco customer, expressed her concerns to Berkeleyside. She feared a delayed mortgage payment could have lasting consequences on her credit.

The incident happened at a time of the month when rent is typically due for renters, a fact that many have pointed out on social media forums including Reddit and X.

When Fast Company asked Patelco if customers would be reimbursed for any fees they are charged due to the outage, Johnson offered this assurance: “If members incur a late fee because of this outage, rest assured we will reimburse them for those fees. If any of our members have concerns about late payments impacting their credit score, we will write letters on their behalf. We will also waive any Patelco overdraft, late payment or ATM fees until we are back up and running. More information will be provided to our members on how they can submit requests.”

What is the timeline for services to be restored?

Patelco offered reassurance that efforts are underway to resolve the outage, though no specific timeline has been provided.

“We are committed to providing transparent and frequent updates to the best of our ability as well as the best possible service that we can, given the disruption,” it states on its website. “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this cyber attack has caused for our members. We anticipate longer than normal wait times and truly appreciate your patience and support during this difficult time.”

Cybersecurity expert Michelle Dennedy told NBC Bay Area that, in addition to continuing to check their statements, customers should also contact those to whom they might owe money.

“Maybe you’re waiting for your mortgage payment. Instead of calling and getting in line for this very long queue to say where’s my money, maybe call your mortgage company and say, ‘Hey, I’m not sure if that automatic payment is going through. Can I get a break here?’” she suggested.

This story has been updated with Patelco’s response to our inquiry.