Home / Technology / St. Paul Battles Ongoing Cyber Threat, Forced to Unplug from Internet Systems
St. Paul Battles Ongoing Cyber Threat, Forced to Unplug from Internet Systems
31 Jul
Summary
- St. Paul mayor says 911 calls, police/fire response, and municipal services will continue despite cyber-attack
- City employees to receive paychecks as normal, reverting to manual record-keeping
- Forensic analysis underway to ensure servers are secure before bringing them back online
As of August 1st, 2025, the city of St. Paul is in the midst of a major cyber-attack that has forced it to unplug from most of its internet-based information systems. Mayor Melvin Carter held a press conference earlier this week to address the situation, assuring residents that essential services like 911 calls, police and fire response, and municipal facilities such as pools, beaches, and libraries will continue to operate despite the disruption.
The mayor noted that city employees will receive their paychecks as normal, though some departments are reverting to manual record-keeping to log employee hours. Carter emphasized that this was a top priority for the city, even as it works to contain the security breach that was first detected last Friday.
While the mayor was unable to confirm when the cyber-attack would be fully resolved, he acknowledged that the city is not leading the criminal investigation, which has involved the FBI and the Minnesota National Guard's cyber security unit. St. Paul is currently undergoing a "forensic analysis" to ensure the integrity of its servers before bringing them back online.
The cyber-attack has impacted various city services, including online bill payments, though road construction and emergency response capabilities remain operational, albeit with some manual processes in place. The mayor's emergency declaration has granted him temporary powers to coordinate the city's response, and the St. Paul City Council is expected to discuss extending these powers on Friday.
