Hackers Breached MTA Computer Systems, Report Says

NEW YORK CITY — Hackers breached MTA computer systems in April and prompted cybersecurity concerns for the nation's largest transit network, according to a new report.

A hacking group with ties to the Chinese government is believed to be behind the attack, the New York Times first reported.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, when asked about the hack during a Wednesday news conference, declined to elaborate beyond details released publicly.

"I want to make sure I don't do anything that would impede the investigation that the MTA is doing," he said.

Rider safety was not at risk and the hackers didn't gain access to computer systems that control train cars, according to the Times report.

The motivation behind the attack is unclear, but investigators have theorized it could relate to China's efforts in the rail car market, the Times reported.

The cyberattack still raised security concerns, especially on the heels of a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in Virginia that shutdown a network that carries half the fuel for the East Coast, the Times reported.

An MTA spokesperson told the Times that the transit agency's cybersecurity defense system stopped the attack from spreading. No employee or customer information, or changes to MTA vital systems resulted from the attack, the spokesperson told the Times.

Read the full New York Times report here.