Minnesota Activates National Guard Due to Cyberattack on Saint Paul

• The National Guard of Minnesota has been activated to assist Saint Paul.
• The cyberattack disrupted the operations of the city's government services.
• The mayor stated there is a risk of data breaches affecting city employees.

This is reported by TechCrunch, Ars Technica.

Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz activated the National Guard following the cyberattack on the state capital, the city of Saint Paul. City officials have yet to disclose the nature of the cyberattack, but the incident, which occurred on July 25, continues to disrupt city operations and some government services.

Saint Paul is one of the largest cities in the USA with a population of over 300,000 and has recently become part of a list of large cities that have fallen victim to hackers and groups that engage in ransom programs in recent years.

In a statement on July 29, Walz noted that he has authorized the cyber units of the National Guard to assist the city in recovering from the cyberattack, explaining that the "scale and complexity" of the incident exceed the city's ability to respond on its own.

The National Guard will help "ensure the continuity of essential services and the safety of residents in Saint Paul," Walz emphasized.

Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter stated at a press conference that the city has disabled its internal systems to prevent further breaches, which has resulted in a citywide Wi-Fi outage. He added that the city does not retain a lot of information about its residents, but there is a risk that data belonging to city employees could be compromised.

Tags: USA/Technology