LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Gov. Joe Lombardo and other state leaders held a press conference Thursday afternoon to publicly address Nevada's ongoing response to a cyberattack that crippled state services this week.
FULL PRESS CONFERENCE | Gov. Lombardo addresses the public regarding Nevada cyberattack:
QUESTIONS | Q&A: Answering your questions about the impact of the Nevada cyberattack
Lombardo announced two resources for Nevadans impacted by the network outage: An expanded 211 phone line that will give information on direct access to state services during recovery, and a central website to act as a "single source of truth for all information related to this incident."
This website is already live at oem.nv.gov/recovery, and will provide up-to-date information on state agencies' operations, including security guidance and recovery timelines.
Questions continue to circulate about the nature of the cyberattack. Lombardo maintains that the state is progressing in their recovery efforts to restore access to vital services. Many systems remain offline to ensure safe recovery efforts, Lombardo said, but they are no longer under attack.
"It's frustrating, I understand, but a lot of that information is confidential — it's moving quickly — and we don't have all the answers associated with that," Lombardo said. "I know it's important for the public to be aware, but we can't compromise the investigation as a result of a zest for information."
Lombardo said they do not know a motive for the attack, and they are working to identify the "bad actors."
The governor's office previously said it had found no evidence that Nevadans' personal information was compromised. On Wednesday afternoon, state officials revealed that data had been "exfiltrated" — or moved outside the state's system — by bad actors. However, they haven't yet been able to say what data was taken and whether any personal identifying information was included.
Lombardo addressed this concern Thursday, stressing his office's remarks earlier this week were indeed what they knew at the time, but the stance changed when they later learned on Tuesday that data had been compromised.
In Wednesday's press conference in Carson City, Lombardo was notably absent to attend pre-planned events in eastern Nevada, prompting questions on his direct involvement in the security incident.
"I want everybody to be aware I am fully engaged. I have never lost contact with any of my directors, and as constant as 24 hours a day, there has been constant conversation," Lombardo said, addressing the concerns. "I have never been unavailable as your governor during this crisis."
The attack was discovered Sunday morning, officials said previously. A host of state-run websites were taken offline while staff within the Governor's Technology Office worked to assess and repair damage.
The FBI is assisting with an ongoing criminal investigation into the nature and extent of the cyberattack, according to state leaders.
"Our chief concern throughout this entire incident is the care and consideration of the state's infrastructure, and most importantly, the sensitive data we are entrusted to protect," said Tim Galluzi, who heads the Governor's Technology Office.
WATCH | Jhovani Carrillo recaps the new information revealed on Wednesday
The hack has prevented hundreds of thousands of Nevadans from accessing services they rely on, including the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Health and Human Services, which administers welfare benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
Throughout the process, Channel 13 reporters have worked to get answers for our viewers. That includes asking questions of state leaders about what allowances will be made for those impacted by their inability to access services like the DMV.
If you have a question about how this incident will impact you, please share it with our team so we can ask state leaders directly and help get you an answer.
You can leave a comment on our social media pages or send your question directly to Steve Sebelius or Ryan Ketcham.