St. Paul Cyberattack: Minnesota National Guard Called In After Digital Assault

St. Paul Hit by Coordinated Cyberattack; National Guard Called In

St. Paul, Minnesota, is grappling with a significant digital crisis following a coordinated cyberattack that severely disrupted its municipal information systems.

National Guard Deployed

Governor Tim Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard to aid in the city's recovery efforts due to the scale of the attack. The Guard's cyber protection unit is actively assisting local teams.

City Response

Mayor Melvin Carter announced a complete shutdown of city information systems as a defensive measure. This action resulted in widespread WiFi outages across city buildings and disrupted services, including those at public libraries.

"While these disruptions are difficult, they are necessary steps to limit exposure, preserve system integrity, and protect sensitive information," Carter stated.

Investigation Underway

The precise nature of the attack has not been disclosed; however, authorities suspect it may be a ransomware operation. Two cybersecurity firms are assisting the city's response, and the FBI is also involved in the investigation.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed, "We are working with partners and lending our investigative expertise."