Walz sends $1.2M state disaster aid for St. Paul cyberattack recovery
Gov. Tim Walz has authorized $1.2 million in state disaster assistance to help St. Paul recover from a July 2025 ransomware attack, saying the magnitude and complexity of the incident exceeded the city's response capacity. The funds are intended to restore critical IT systems, maintain continuity of vital city services and strengthen cybersecurity protections going forward.
📌 Key Facts
- Gov. Tim Walz formally authorized $1.2 million in state disaster assistance to help St. Paul recover from a July 2025 ransomware cyberattack.
- The state said the ransomware incident’s "magnitude and complexity" exceeded St. Paul’s ability to respond using local resources alone.
- The funding is earmarked to restore critical IT systems affected by the attack.
- The assistance is intended to ensure continuity of vital city services disrupted by the cyberattack.
- A portion of the money will be used to strengthen and bolster St. Paul’s cybersecurity defenses going forward.
- The authorization was announced in February 2026 (reports dated Feb. 11–12, 2026).
📊 Relevant Data
Between 2023 and 2024, ransomware attacks on government entities in the US surged by 48%.
Ransomware in 2025: Understand and prepare for the four stages of attack and why zero trust is critical — Smart Cities Dive
In the first half of 2025, there was a 65% year-on-year increase in ransomware incidents affecting government bodies in the US, totaling 208 attacks.
46 Ransomware Statistics and Trends Report 2026 — VikingCloud
In 2024, there were 293 verified ransomware victims within the government and civic sectors in the US, marking a 229% increase from the previous year.
Ransomware Statistics 2025: Latest Trends & Must-Know Insights — Fortinet
Exploited vulnerabilities (38%) and compromised credentials (30%) are the two most common root causes of ransomware attacks in state and local government.
The State of Ransomware in State and Local Government 2023 — Sophos
Over 80% of state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) organizations in the US operate with fewer than 5 cybersecurity staff, despite being the third most-targeted sector by ransomware in 2023.
New KnowBe4 Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources — KnowBe4
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms Gov. Walz has formally approved $1.2 million in state disaster assistance to help St. Paul recover from the July 2025 ransomware attack.
- Specifies that the money is aimed at restoring critical IT systems, maintaining continuity of city services, and strengthening cybersecurity defenses.
- Notes that the state characterized the attack’s "magnitude and complexity" as beyond what St. Paul could handle with local resources alone.
- Gov. Tim Walz has formally authorized $1.2 million in state disaster assistance for St. Paul’s July 2025 cyberattack.
- The governor’s office explicitly says the 'magnitude and complexity' of the ransomware incident exceeded the city’s response capacity, justifying state disaster funds.
- State funds are earmarked to restore critical systems, ensure continuity of vital services, and bolster cybersecurity protections going forward.