St. Paul cyberattack: Gov. Walz authorizes $1.2 million in state disaster assistance

The latest on the St. Paul cyberattack

FOX 9's Rob Olson has the latest on the St. Paul cyberattack that demanded ransom.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Governor Walz authorized $1.2 million in state disaster assistance funds in response to a massive cyberattack in St. Paul that happened back in July 2025. 

READ MORE: Most St. Paul services restored following ransomware attack

Gov. Walz addresses St. Paul cyberattack 

What they're saying:

Minnesota Gov. Walz shared the following statement on the cyberattack:

"We remain committed to working alongside the City of Saint Paul to restore critical services and cybersecurity. The allocation of state disaster assistance will ensure the continued provision of essential services impacted by the cyberattack and enhance protective measures." 

The governor's office adds that the "magnitude and complexity" of the hack "exceeded the city's response capacity." 

By the numbers:

The state disaster assistance, totaling $1.2 million, will be used to provide the resources needed to "respond to the incident and restore critical systems to ensure continuity of vital services and the safety and security of Saint Paul residents," according to the Minnesota Governor's Office. 

Summer 2025 St. Paul cyberattack

St. Paul cyberattack: 3,500 employees reset passwords

City officials say the St. Paul cyberattack demanded ransom, and caused 3,500 employees to have to change their passwords. FOX 9's Soyoung Kim has more.

The backstory:

City officials say a "digital security incident" on July 29, 2025, led to "disruptions to critical systems" and "access to digital services in Ramsey County."

READ MORE: St. Paul hack confirmed as ransomware attack, Mayor Carter discusses next steps

In response, the city launched a new system on Sept. 17 called "PAULIE," which stands for Permitting and Utilities, Licensing, Inspection Engine. 

St. Paul's mayor at the time, Melvin Carter, declared a state of emergency, leading to about 3,500 city employees to reset their passwords and an executive order that deployment of the Minnesota National Guard's IT division. 

St. Paul cyberattack recovery efforts

The City of St. Paul continues to recover from a major cyber security attack, prompting Mayor Melvin Carter to declare a state of emergency. Governor Tim Walz called in the Minnesota National Guard, which includes 13 cyber security experts. Lt. Col Brian Morgan, MN National Guard Director of Cyber Security is leading the team of cyber experts. He joined the FOX 9 Morning News to share the latest information, and what other cities need to learn from this cyber-attack.

The attack also delayed the mayor's State of the City address.