Walz Sends National Guard to Help Winona County After Cyberattack
The call-up underscores Minnesota’s use of state troops to bolster local cyber response.
Overview
- Minnesota’s governor authorized the National Guard to support Winona County’s response after a cyberattack disrupted critical systems and digital services.
- The governor’s office said the attack carried into the following day and significantly hindered delivery of emergency and municipal services.
- County officials have not disclosed the scope of the incident or whether it is connected to a ransomware case reported in January.
- Winona County said on January 23 it had brought in outside forensic experts and law enforcement to investigate that earlier breach.
- Walz took a similar step last summer when he deployed the Guard to assist St. Paul after a major cyberattack.