Nevada Shuts Down State Offices After Major Cyberattack
▼ Summary
– A cyberattack began early Sunday in Nevada, disrupting government websites, phone systems, and online platforms and forcing all state offices to close on Monday.
– The Governor’s Technology Office stated the network issue started around 1:52 AM PT, and teams are actively working to restore services safely and validate systems.
– Emergency services like 911 remain unaffected, and there is currently no evidence that personally identifiable information has been stolen.
– The state has not confirmed if ransomware is involved but is working with local, tribal, and federal agencies to investigate and respond.
– Residents are warned to be cautious of unsolicited calls or emails asking for sensitive information.
Nevada’s state government continues to grapple with a widespread cyberattack that forced the closure of all state offices on Monday, disrupting essential services and prompting an intensive recovery effort. The incident began in the early hours of Sunday morning, crippling government websites, online platforms, and telephone systems across the state.
Initial reports from the Governor’s Technology Office described the event as a “network issue” that emerged around 1:52 AM Pacific Time. As technical teams scrambled to address the problem, officials warned residents to expect slow or completely unavailable digital services and phone lines. By Monday morning, the situation remained unresolved, leading Governor Lombardo to order the shutdown of all physical state office locations.
Later that day, the governor’s office formally confirmed the event as a cybersecurity incident. In a statement shared on social media and with media outlets, officials emphasized that recovery operations were underway on a 24/7 basis. The investigation remains active, with the state prioritizing the safe restoration of services and thorough system validation before bringing operations back online.
While many digital services remain offline, emergency services including 911 have not been affected by the attack. The state has assured the public that there is currently no evidence suggesting that personally identifiable information has been compromised. However, the extended duration of the disruption has led to speculation that ransomware may be involved—a scenario in which attackers often exfiltrate data even if encryption is prevented.
Government cyberattacks of this scale, while highly disruptive, rarely result in ransom payments. Such incidents typically draw increased law enforcement attention, making them risky for threat actors. In response, Nevada is collaborating with local, tribal, and federal agencies to investigate the breach and mitigate further damage.
Residents are being urged to exercise caution regarding unsolicited communications, particularly emails or phone calls requesting sensitive personal or financial information. State officials continue to provide updates as the restoration process moves forward.
(Source: Bleeping Computer)
