Ransomware Attack Temporarily Disrupts Mower County Services in Minnesota

Mower County, with offices located in Austin, Minnesota, was hit by a ransomware attack in the early hours of June 18. County IT staff detected the breach and immediately took most network systems offline, including email and public-facing portals. Essential services remained operational; 911 emergency lines were unaffected, and non-emergency calls were temporarily redirected to an alternate sheriff’s line. Forensic imaging began shortly after the shutdown to evaluate the extent of the incident. County Administrator Matthew Verdick said regular phone service was partially restored by 9 p.m. the same day.

In response to the attack, Mower County brought in nationally recognized cybersecurity and digital forensics consultants and notified both state and federal law enforcement agencies. Officials said they expect to safely restore most affected systems by Friday, June 21, and are working to minimize disruption to public services. There is no current evidence that any personal or sensitive data was compromised.