Minnesota National Guard Activated After Cyberattack on Saint Paul

Minnesota National Guard Activated After Saint Paul Cyberattack

Following a significant cyberattack impacting the state capital, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has authorized the deployment of the state’s National Guard. The incident, which occurred on July 25th, is currently disrupting various city functions and certain public services within Saint Paul.

Details of the Breach

City authorities have, as of yet, refrained from detailing the specific nature of the cyberattack. However, it has been confirmed that the disruption is widespread. Saint Paul, a major metropolitan area with a population exceeding 300,000, represents the newest target in a growing trend of attacks against large U.S. cities.

Governor Walz explained in a public statement that the activation of the National Guard’s cyber units was a direct response to a request from the city. He emphasized that the scale and intricacy of the breach surpassed Saint Paul’s internal capabilities for effective incident response.

National Guard's Role in Recovery

The primary objective of the National Guard deployment is to assist in the restoration of essential services and to safeguard the well-being of Saint Paul’s inhabitants. This support will be crucial in ensuring the continuity of operations during the recovery phase.

City Response and Potential Data Impact

Mayor Melvin Carter announced during a press conference that the city proactively took its governmental systems offline as a containment measure. This action, unfortunately, resulted in a citywide disruption of Wi-Fi services.

While the city maintains limited storage of resident data, Mayor Carter acknowledged a potential risk of compromise regarding information pertaining to city employees. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of any data breaches.

The city is working diligently to restore full functionality and address any security vulnerabilities exposed by the attack.