Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard and declared a state of emergency in response to a cyberattack on the city of Saint Paul.
The governor called in the armed forces because the magnitude and complexity of the attack exceeded the city’s response capabilities, according to a statement from Walz’s office on Tuesday.
“The Minnesota National Guard’s cyber forces will collaborate with city, state, and federal officials to resolve the situation and mitigate lasting impacts,” Walz said. “Above all, we are committed to protecting the safety and security of the people of Saint Paul.”
City officials first spotted signs of the digital intrusion on Friday. “This cyberattack persisted through the weekend, causing significant disruptions and impairing St. Paul’s ability to provide vital services,” according to theran executive order [PDF].
The city’s 911 emergency services remain fully operational, according to a notice posted on the city website. Online payment systems are still unavailable amid ongoing network disruptions, and wi-fi it out at city buildings, libraries, and recreation centers.
“We now know this was not a system glitch or technical error,” Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said during a Tuesday press conference. “This was a deliberate, coordinated, digital attack, carried out by a sophisticated external actor, intentionally and criminally targeting our city’s information infrastructure.”
“Yesterday we initiated a full shut down of our info systems as a defensive measure to contain the threat,” he added, describing it as an “ongoing and dynamic threat.”
Carter declined to attribute the attack to a specific criminal or cybercrime group, and said he was not aware if a ransom had been demanded.
The city is still investigating the attack and assessing if the intruders stole any data, the mayor said. The FBI, along with other federal, state, and local agencies and law enforcement are assisting in the response, and Saint Paul has also hired two cybersecurity firms to investigate. ®
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