Photo: Kaspersky
The Registry of Motor Vehicles, or RMV, has recently announced that the vehicle emissions system operating in Massachusetts is projected to be back up and running on April 17.
The system went down on March 30 due to a cyberattack. Since then, Applus Technologies, the vendor offering the software platform for the testing, has been working non-stop on recovering all affected computers.
But as it turns out, the company needs more time to complete this recovery process, so despite the fact that the vehicle emission testing system was originally expected to be back up this week, one more week is required to resume the normal operations.
RMV says the process is currently in Phase 2, which includes restoration and system testing, and it advises inspection stations to leave their workstations powered on and connected to the Internet.
“Testing will resume for all stations at the same time regardless of when your workstation is restored. Workstation restoration does not mean stations will be able to test immediately. There are additional steps that need to be taken to bring all stations online at the same time. Stations will be notified when the system is live and you can resume testing,” it says.
In the meantime, RMV is allowing a grace period for certain expired motor vehicle inspection stickers, explaining that it already reached out to law enforcement to tell them some owners were unable to renew their inspection due to a cyberattack.
Vehicles with the “3” sticker on the windshield, which means their inspection expired last month, will have until April 30 to pass the testing and the same goes for new vehicles purchased or registered on or after March 23.
“Customers who recently had a failed inspection and are in the 60-day free retest window will be afforded one extra day for each day Applus’s system remains unavailable, but should plan to facilitate their inspection as soon as possible once the system is restored and stations are online,” RMV says.
Applus is yet to confirm the April 17 date as the day when the systems could come back online.
But as it turns out, the company needs more time to complete this recovery process, so despite the fact that the vehicle emission testing system was originally expected to be back up this week, one more week is required to resume the normal operations.
RMV says the process is currently in Phase 2, which includes restoration and system testing, and it advises inspection stations to leave their workstations powered on and connected to the Internet.
“Testing will resume for all stations at the same time regardless of when your workstation is restored. Workstation restoration does not mean stations will be able to test immediately. There are additional steps that need to be taken to bring all stations online at the same time. Stations will be notified when the system is live and you can resume testing,” it says.
In the meantime, RMV is allowing a grace period for certain expired motor vehicle inspection stickers, explaining that it already reached out to law enforcement to tell them some owners were unable to renew their inspection due to a cyberattack.
Vehicles with the “3” sticker on the windshield, which means their inspection expired last month, will have until April 30 to pass the testing and the same goes for new vehicles purchased or registered on or after March 23.
“Customers who recently had a failed inspection and are in the 60-day free retest window will be afforded one extra day for each day Applus’s system remains unavailable, but should plan to facilitate their inspection as soon as possible once the system is restored and stations are online,” RMV says.
Applus is yet to confirm the April 17 date as the day when the systems could come back online.
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