On Friday, July 25, the City of St. Paul, Minnesota, fell victim to a serious cyberattack that targeted its most important digital systems and services. The attack continued through the weekend, causing major disruptions to the city’s operations. City officials say the attack has made it difficult for St. Paul to deliver vital public services to residents.
In response, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued an executive order on Tuesday, July 29, activating the Minnesota National Guard to provide cyber protection assistance. According to the governor’s office, the scope and complexity of the attack were too much for the city’s local teams to handle alone, prompting a request for state-level support.
“The magnitude and complexity of this cyberattack exceed St. Paul’s ability to respond,” said Governor Walz in a statement. “That’s why we are bringing in the Minnesota National Guard’s cyber experts to support recovery efforts.”
The governor emphasized the importance of quickly restoring secure digital operations in the city. He said the National Guard’s cyber teams will work closely with city officials, state agencies, and federal partners to investigate the breach, restore systems, and protect against future attacks.
“Our top priority is the safety and security of the people of St. Paul,” Walz said. “We are committed to helping the city recover and making sure critical services are available again.”
The executive order from Governor Walz didn’t go into detail about which systems were affected or how the attack was carried out. However, it did state that the incident had caused “significant disruptions,” including interruptions to the city’s ability to provide essential services.
Cybersecurity experts from the National Guard are trained to respond to major cyber incidents like this. Their role will include identifying the source of the attack, repairing damaged systems, and putting stronger security measures in place to prevent similar events in the future.
So far, no information has been released about who might be behind the attack or whether any data was stolen. Investigations are ongoing, with local, state, and federal authorities all involved.
This is not the first time a city in the U.S. has been targeted by a cyberattack. In recent years, similar incidents have affected city governments in Baltimore, Atlanta, and New Orleans, disrupting everything from public safety systems to water billing and email communications. These attacks have shown just how vulnerable government systems can be if not properly secured.
In St. Paul, city officials are urging residents to be patient as teams work to restore services. They are also advising the public to stay alert and follow updates from the city on social media and official websites.
The situation remains fluid, and authorities say it could take time before all systems are fully restored. In the meantime, the state’s support aims to speed up the process and limit the long-term effects of the cyberattack.
Governor Walz’s decision to bring in the National Guard highlights just how seriously the state is taking the threat. With growing concerns nationwide about cybersecurity, especially in public institutions, St. Paul’s experience may serve as a reminder to other cities to strengthen their digital defenses before attacks happen.
As the recovery continues, Minnesota’s leaders say they are focused not just on fixing the damage but on learning from the event to better protect public systems in the future.
