Nevada Strengthens Cyber Defenses One Year After Ransomware Attack

• •Nevada's ransomware attack in August 2025 disrupted state services for nearly a month.
• •The state invested $14 million in cybersecurity upgrades following the attack.
• •New measures include enhanced awareness training and a standardized data classification system.

In August 2025, Nevada experienced a ransomware attack that disrupted state services for nearly a month, affecting thousands of residents. The attack began when a state employee downloaded malware from a spoofed website, which installed a hidden backdoor in the network. The state refused to pay the ransom, relying instead on backups to restore operations, which took 28 days. Following the incident, Nevada invested approximately $14 million in cybersecurity upgrades, including new tools and enhanced awareness training. The attack led to a surge in cyberattack attempts, with firewalls registering a 300% increase in activity after the breach was disclosed. Key improvements include enterprise hardening and a standardized data classification system across agencies. The state CIO reported ongoing attempts but noted that they have been effectively mitigated.