Town of Bourne

The Town of Bourne is a municipal government located in the United States that provides a range of public services to its residents. These services include general administration, public safety through police and emergency response, and operation of community facilities such as the public library. The town’s library offers public computers, Wi‑Fi access, and printing services to patrons. Routine municipal functions also rely on internal information technology systems for email, phone communications, and coordination of emergency services. In carrying out its duties, the Town of Bourne serves the local community by delivering essential governance and support functions that affect daily life and public safety.

The Town of Bourne does not employ a dedicated IT director and instead contracts its information technology needs to Barnstable County IT following the departure of a previous director who had warned about longstanding security weaknesses. Those weaknesses included unsecured access on library computers to sensitive financial and personnel data. On January 11, 2025, the town experienced a cyberattack that disrupted its IT systems, leading to the cancellation of several public meetings while police dispatch, emergency services, phone lines, and email remained operational. The attack specifically affected library public computers, Wi‑Fi, and printing services, prompting an ongoing criminal investigation and the engagement of special counsel. Officials have refrained from releasing further details about the attack’s nature or potential impacts on schools, citing the active investigation. The town’s police dispatch infrastructure operates independently from the compromised systems, allowing critical emergency response functions to continue uninterrupted.