Cyber Protection Team Activated

(NORTH PLATTE, Neb.) — Gov. Jim Pillen declared an emergency Friday, Oct. 9, following a cybersecurity breach affecting the City of North Platte and Lincoln County, authorizing the Nebraska National Guard’s Cyber Protection Team to assist with the response.

According to a local government press release, the breach had been contained, but disruptions to phone and internet services continued as officials worked to secure government systems.

Some city phone lines and all Lincoln County phone lines were reported down. The North Platte Public Safety Building’s phones remained operational, while the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office phone lines were unavailable.

Officials said emergency services, including 911, remained operational. The breach had not affected utility services, bill payments or financial systems, and city and county finances remained secure. No compromised information had been identified at the time of the announcement.

Public transit continued operating, although its main phone line had been transferred to a cellphone. Officials asked the public for patience while services were disrupted.

State and private-sector cybersecurity experts were assisting with the response. Pillen’s emergency declaration authorizes deployment of the Nebraska National Guard Cyber Protection Team to help local officials address the incident. The authorization does not, by itself, confirm the team had already deployed.

Officials said affected systems would be restored once investigators determined that no additional breaches remained and the city and county systems were secure. A follow-up announcement is expected when services return to normal.