Minn. Gov. calls in National Guard over cyberattack

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard in response to a cyberattack that raised public safety concerns in St. Paul.

The cybersecurity attack 

St. Paul’s cybersecurity systems detected “suspicious activity” on the city’s network, Mayor Melvin Carter revealed during a recent press conference. “We now know this was not a system glitch or technical error. This was a deliberate, coordinated, digital attack, carried out by a sophisticated external actor, intentionally and criminally targeting our city’s information infrastructure,” Carter said.

The response 

Following the detection of the cyberattack and a formal request from city officials, Governor Walz issued an executive order to activate the Minnesota National Guard’s cyber protection unit.

Walz statement

“We are committed to working alongside the City of Saint Paul to restore cybersecurity as quickly as possible,” Walz said in a statement. “The Minnesota National Guard’s cyber forces will collaborate with city, state and federal officials to resolve the situation and mitigate lasting impacts. Above all, we are committed to protecting the safety and security of the people of Saint Paul.”

The aftermath 

Mayor Carter said officials acted quickly by hiring two cybersecurity firms to assist with the response and recovery. Additionally, the city is working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to “trace the source and scope” of the attack. To contain the threat, the city temporarily shut down its information systems, leading to some outages — such as the loss of Wi-Fi in city buildings. “We recognize that these outages have created inconveniences for residents and city staff alike. While these disruptions are difficult, they are necessary steps to limit exposure, preserve system integrity and protect sensitive information as our investigation and recovery efforts continue,” Carter explained.

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