Minnesota Authorizes National Guard Assistance After Winona County Cyberattack
Summary
A cyberattack that began Monday and continued into Tuesday disrupted Winona County’s critical systems and services. Gov. Tim Walz authorized National Guard assistance as state, federal and external experts coordinate the response.
Key points
- The attack reportedly began Monday and continued into Tuesday, disrupting critical systems and digital services.
- The disruption impaired the county’s ability to provide emergency and municipal services.
- Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order authorizing the National Guard to assist with protecting systems and maintaining essential services.
- Minnesota IT Services, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the FBI, the League of Minnesota Cities and external cybersecurity experts are coordinating the response.
- The county requested National Guard cyber protection support, citing the incident’s scale and complexity.
Article Details
- Victim Organization
- Winona County
- Incident Type
- Cyberattack disrupting critical systems and digital services
- Operational Impact
- Critical systems and digital services were disrupted, impairing the county’s ability to deliver emergency and municipal services. The National Guard was authorized to assist with protecting systems and maintaining essential services.
- Claim Status
- confirmed