Multiple law enforcement agencies in southern Minnesota are warning residents about a cyber attack that targeted the CodeRED emergency alert system, a platform used to send urgent notifications to the public. Officials from Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Watonwan counties say the system was breached in a targeted incident that has affected not only their departments but also many other agencies across Minnesota and the United States.
Because of the attack, CodeRED alerts are currently unavailable, and agencies are unable to send out the usual emergency notifications that residents rely on during severe weather, public safety issues, or other urgent situations. Authorities say they are working closely with the system’s vendor to understand the extent of the breach and to restore services as quickly as possible, but there is no estimated timeline for full recovery.
According to the vendor, some personal information stored in the system may have been accessed by the attackers. The data potentially exposed includes names, home addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and passwords associated with CodeRED accounts. While there is no confirmation yet on how much information was accessed or how it might be used, residents are being urged to take precautions.
Officials strongly advise anyone who uses the CodeRED system to change their password immediately, especially if they use the same password on other accounts. Reusing passwords across different platforms increases the risk of additional breaches, so updating login information is an important step for protecting personal data.
Authorities say they will share updates as more information becomes available and encourage residents to stay alert for any suspicious activity involving their accounts. They also remind the public to rely on trusted local news and official county channels for emergency updates until the system is fully restored.
