Winona County officials confirmed that some of its computer systems remain offline due to a cyberattack earlier this week, necessitating emergency assistance from the Minnesota National Guard’s cyber protection team. The county’s IT team has been working tirelessly to restore services following the breach, which has disrupted local government operations.

In January, a ransomware attack also took place against Winona County properties and authorities have been quick to dismiss connections between the perpetrators. Speculation on motives has centered on the recent attack on Iran, which could be why there was a quick distinction between earlier attacks and this one.

On Friday, county officials held a press conference to update the public regarding the situation, marking it as the second cyberattack on the county’s systems this year. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has declared a state of emergency to facilitate further support and resources in response to this growing cyber threat.

As cyber threats to local government entities rise, comments from lawmakers highlight the need for enhanced vigilance against these increasingly sophisticated attacks. “The cyberattack on Winona County is a reminder that we need to stay vigilant against constantly evolving cyber threats in both the private and public sectors,” noted Congresswoman Betty McCollum.

The FBI has also been involved in the response to the incident, underlining the seriousness of the situation as cybercriminals continue to pose significant risks to municipal IT networks across the country. County and other municipal are particularly vulnerable since there are so many attack vectors that have real numerical impact for downstream users.