Nevada is scrambling to restore certain systems that were disrupted by a cyberattack on Sunday, forcing it to close state offices on Monday and Tuesday.
The incident was disclosed on Monday in a post on X, which described the attack as a “network incident” that impacted state websites and phone lines. Emergency services were not affected.
In a statement shared by Governor Joe Lombardo on Tuesday, the Governor’s Technology Office confirmed that the disruptions were caused by a cyberattack and that a criminal investigation was launched into the matter.
The agency said it has been working with state, local, and federal partners to securely restore the affected services, prioritizing the most critical components, but did not say when the affected services would be fully restored.
“As the state continues its recovery efforts, the network security incident continues to impact the availability of certain state technology systems on the state network,” the statement reads.
The agency says it has no evidence that personally identifiable information (PII) was compromised in the attack, but advises caution when receiving unsolicited calls, emails, or texts.
After being closed on Monday and Tuesday, state offices are expected to resume offering in-person services later this week. Employees were on leave on Monday, but returned to offices on Tuesday.
The Governor’s Technology Office underlined that the incident only impacted state government systems, but did not share details on the nature of the cyberattack.
Long, widespread disruptions, however, are often the result of ransomware attacks, as systems either become unavailable or are taken offline to contain and remove the infection. SecurityWeek has not seen any known ransomware groups claiming the incident.
“Cyberattacks on state systems can have destabilizing impacts, extending beyond temporary service disruptions. When government services are forced offline, the consequences can include halted economic activity, delayed emergency responses, and compromised citizen safety. The cascading effects mean that even a localized breach can have a ripple effect on national security, economic resilience, and public confidence,” Aryaka VP of security engineering Aditya Sood commented.
Related: Healthcare Services Group Data Breach Impacts 624,000
Related: FTC Calls on Tech Firms to Resist Foreign Anti-Encryption Demands
Related: CISA Requests Public Feedback on Updated SBOM Guidance
Related: Chinese Silk Typhoon Hackers Targeting Multiple Industries in North America
