City of St. Paul Slowly Getting Back Online Following Cyber Attack
The City of St. Paul is slowly bringing the last remaining systems online after shutting down many of them July 29 following a cyber attack.
The initial attack, which City cybersecurity leaders said they caught on July 25, was a coordinated ransomware attack. Typically ransomware attacks will lock the systems of major institutions in an effort to extort a ransom to unlock access. The City of St. Paul says they did not pay a ransom.
Instead, they said they were able to catch the attack fairly early and retain access to critical systems while limiting the data the attackers were able to access.
Mayor Carter declared a State of Emergency in the city on July 29 and the Minnesota National Guard Cyber Protection Unit was deployed to assist the City to retrieve as much data as possible.
“We are the victim of a serious crime,” said Office of Technology and Communications Director Jaime Wascalus in a statement on July 29. “In response, we have mobilized every available local, state, and federal partner to support our investigation and response efforts.”
The attack left almost all resident-facing systems offline, many of which still haven’t come back online yet. The City said they were most concerned with ensuring their emergency services were functioning before moving onto other systems, like libraries and recreation centers.
City employees started the process of resetting their passwords on August 11 and the City said it has added additional security software to 90% of their systems.
City leaders have said that, while there are sensitive systems the hackers may have gained access to, the city keeps very few records on residents and the likelihood of any personal data being stolen from the general public is low.
Where are City systems currently?
According to the City of St. Paul’s website, they are making progress, but still have a ways to go. They are asking people to email the appropriate departments rather than calling for any non-emergency issues. For general, non-emergency questions or assistance, residents should contact [email protected] (Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.).
Emergency Services
Emergency services remain fully operational – call 911 if you are experiencing an emergency. The non-emergency line, which includes public safety concerns, is also available at 651-291-1111. For all non emergency inquiries related to the Fire department, please email: [email protected]. The impound lot is open but only accepting cash payment at this time.
City Services & Bill Pay Status
The City is not assessing late fees as they continue to bring bill pay systems back online. They also say that there are people sending fraudulent invoices from the City and that you should not click any links or email attachments if you are unsure of their origin.
Garbage Payments
Quarterly Garbage Bills Are Legitimate. Payment is due September 1 for April-June garbage service. Payments can be made with the return envelope provided or via the City’s third-party payment vendor. Garbage related questions should be directed to [email protected].
St. Paul Public Library
All locations remain open with some services impacted. Books can be checked out, materials can be returned and you can still attend any events, but there is no public internet access or printing at any library location.
Parks and Recreation
All rec centers, outdoor pools and and the Como Zoo and Conservatory are open. General customer service questions and requests should be emailed to [email protected]. Reports of downed trees and debris from recent storms should be emailed to Forestry at [email protected].
St. Paul Regional Water Services
St. Paul RWS is now able to accept online bill payments, but some online services remain temporarily unavailable. In the meantime, all customers will receive paper bills in the mail.
Public Works
For street maintenance questions or concerns, please call 651-266-9700 or email [email protected]. For general Public Works questions or concerns, email [email protected]. For fastest service and response time, please use the Public Works general online form.
Stay up to date with this which city systems are available and the latest news, visit stpaul.gov/news/important-information-city-services-during-digital-security-incident-1.
