Nevada officials confirmed Wednesday that a sweeping ransomware attack has compromised state systems, disrupting public services and potentially exposing residents’ personal data. The incident forced the shutdown of in-person government operations and left agencies scrambling to restore essential networks.
Governor Joe Lombardo initially reassured the public that no personal information appeared to be at risk. But later, state Chief Information Officer Tim Galluzi acknowledged that forensic investigators had uncovered evidence of data exfiltration. “At this stage, we cannot yet identify or classify the specific nature of this data,” Galluzi said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing.
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Disruption to Daily Services
The attack’s effects rippled quickly through Nevada’s agencies. Department of Motor Vehicles offices statewide were shuttered, leaving residents unable to renew licenses or complete scheduled appointments. DMV Director Tonya Laney stated that this statewide outage is impacting almost every state agency’s operations, urging patience as emergency and health services took precedence.
Law enforcement operations were also disrupted. Nevada State Police dispatch phone lines were down, and officers could not access DMV records. While 911 systems remained operational, officials said the breach highlighted vulnerabilities in interconnected state systems that serve both routine and critical functions.
State offices remain closed for in-person services, with officials stressing that restoring systems requires careful steps to eliminate lingering threats before reconnecting networks.
A Pattern of Escalating Threats
Cybersecurity experts warn that the Nevada incident reflects a growing national trend. Analysts say such attacks have accelerated over the past 18 months, targeting municipalities with fewer resources to defend against sophisticated intrusions.
According to data compiled by Comparitech, U.S. government entities have faced 525 ransomware attacks since 2018, with losses tied to downtime exceeding $1 billion (Rs. 8700 Crores). Recent cases include a ransomware strike in St. Paul, Minnesota, that forced a partial network shutdown last month, and a prolonged disruption in Fulton County, Georgia, last year.
Experts argue that sharing intelligence among states and municipalities may help prevent repeat attacks. But as Nevada officials acknowledged this week, restoring trust in public systems may prove as difficult as rebuilding their digital infrastructure.