City systems are down across St. Paul in response to a cyberattack, shutting down computers at city libraries and pools, and knocking out online payment systems.
Systems were shut down on Monday to prevent the spread of an attack that started late Friday. It is not yet clear why St. Paul was attacked, officials said, or what data might be at risk.
“This was a deliberate, coordinated digital attack, carried out by a sophisticated external actor, intentionally and criminally targeting our city’s information infrastructure,” Mayor Melvin Carter said.
Carter said he would not speculate as to the motive behind the attack, but said no ransom has been requested.
St. Paul is working with the FBI, the state and two cybersecurity firms to contain the damage and investigate the attack.
Gov. Tim Walz activated the National Guard cyber protection efforts to help St. Paul deal with the incident.
“We are committed to working alongside the City of Saint Paul to restore cybersecurity as quickly as possible,” Walz said in a prepared statement. “The Minnesota National Guard’s cyber forces will collaborate with city, state, and federal officials to resolve the situation and mitigate lasting impacts. Above all, we are committed to protecting the safety and security of the people of Saint Paul.”
St. Paul’s 911 and other emergency response systems are still working, Carter said, but many other city internet systems have been shut down in an attempt to contain the attack.
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