CT Vehicle Emissions To Be Restored "No Later than April 30"

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Apr 19, 2021, 14:52 ET

ROCKY HILL, Conn., April 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Applus Technologies, Inc., today announced that it expects to have full service restored for the CT Vehicle Emissions Program no later than April 30^th.

"The vehicle emissions software used by Connecticut stations is complex and different from that used in Massachusetts," said Darrin Greene, CEO, Applus Technologies, Inc., USA noting the different timetable from Connecticut's northeast neighbor, Massachusetts where testing has begun. "We recognize the inconvenience this service interruption has caused for motorists, new and used car dealers, and the network of privately-owned automotive service facilities who perform the inspections and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If we can confidently restore service sooner, we will."

On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, Applus detected and stopped a malware attack which temporarily interrupted the process of conducting vehicle inspection and emissions testing in Connecticut and seven other states. Applus quickly contained the problem by locking down the entire system in all states as soon as the issue was detected.

The vehicle inspection and emissions testing programs in each state (and in some cases, counties) are unique and operate independently. Each program involves different types of services, technology, equipment and policies/procedures. This means that information regarding the service interruption, scope of impact and response plans/timelines for returning a testing program to full operations is unique to each jurisdiction. For this reason, it is important for people in Connecticut to only reference the information specific to the Connecticut program posted to www.ctemissions.com.

"Through the program website, we are providing a central location for updated information and answers to frequently asked questions that are specific to the CT Vehicle Emissions program," said Greene." We are working 24/7 to restore service in Connecticut as quickly as possible, maintain continuity of services during the interruption and keep everyone informed at every step of the process."

The Applus technical team is working around the clock to resolve this issue in order to restore the program to full operations. Applus is not currently aware of any risk to personal data for motorists in Connecticut. However, out of an abundance of caution, the company has engaged computer forensic experts to assist in analyzing the current attack to determine whether or not any personal information for motorists in Connecticut could potentially have been compromised.

Applus is working closely with the Connecticut DMV to develop 'work-arounds' and temporary provisions to maintain continuity of services and address key issues for motorists and test centers. These include: