More than 30 Minnesota community water systems hit by “coordinated cyberattack”

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KTTC) – According to Minnesota IT Services (MNIT), a coordinated cyberattack reportedly targeted operational technology at more than 30 Minnesota community water systems on July 26th and 27th.

MNIT says it immediately activated the state’s cybersecurity incident response capabilities and is collaborating with federal, state, local, Tribal, and private-sector partners.

The investigation is still active, and responders are continuing to assess the affected systems, though the release does not mention any specific communities that were targeted.

MNIT says it is not currently aware of any active requests for residents to modify their drinking water usage.

“Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure require a coordinated, whole-of-government response. MNIT is working side by side with our partners to share intelligence, support affected communities, and help utilities restore operations safely while strengthening defenses against future attacks. This incident demonstrates why Minnesota has invested in strong cybersecurity capabilities and partnerships. Our response worked as intended, enabling agencies at every level of government to rapidly coordinate, contain the incident, and help prevent more serious impacts to critical services.”

MNIT says it has activated its incident response capabilities immediately after learning of the attack and continues to:

• Coordinate technical response activities across government partners
• Share threat intelligence and indicators of compromise with affected organizations
• Support incident investigation, containment, recovery, and remediation efforts
• Monitor for related malicious cyber activity and coordinate with state and federal cybersecurity partners
• Provide cybersecurity expertise and technical assistance to affected communities

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