Nevada

Nevada ransomware attack started months before it was discovered, per report

Published

4 months ago

November 6, 2025

LAS VEGAS — State workers were put on paid administrative leave. Nevada residents couldn’t receive their driver’s licenses. Employers were unable to conduct background checks on new hires. These were all effects of a massive cyberattack in Nevada that took nearly a month to fully restore its services.

The ransomware attack – though discovered in August – occurred as early as May when a state employee mistakenly downloaded malicious software, and cost at least $1.5 million to recover, according to an after-action report the state released Wednesday.

“Nevada’s teams protected core services, paid our employees on time, and recovered quickly — without paying criminals,” Gov. Joe Lombardo said Wednesday in a statement announcing the report. “This is what disciplined planning, talented public servants, and strong partnerships deliver for Nevadans.”

The attack came on the heels of a long series of cybercrimes against states and municipalities in recent years.

In 2024, Georgia’s largest county was hit with a cyberattack where hackers shut down office phone lines and threatened to publicly release sensitive data they claimed to have stolen unless officials paid ransom. The ransomware syndicate LockBit took credit for the cyberattack in late January that temporarily crippled government services in Fulton County.

Cybercriminals hacked Rhode Island’s system for health and benefits programs and released files to a site on the dark web in 2024.

The Colorado Department of Transportation’s computer network was targeted in a ransomware attack in 2018 by two Iranian computer hackers, though no money was paid and no information was lost.

When Baltimore was hit in 2019 with a ransomware attack that crippled the city’s services for a month, it was estimated to cost at least $18.2 million. A year before, a ransomware attack slammed Baltimore’s 911 dispatch system.

Nevada officials maintain the state did not pay the ransom, the amount of which was not disclosed. The attacker has yet to be identified, and the incident is still under investigation.

The attack against Nevada was a “fairly large ransomware against a state,” according to Gregory Moody, director of cybersecurity programs at UNLV. This attack was able to spread through the state more quickly because of the decentralized nature of Nevada’s cyber systems, he said.

Nevada’s response time was good compared to others, he said. It typically takes between seven and eight months to discover an attacker in a system, and Nevada officials caught it faster than is usual, Moody said.

The attack cost 4,212 in overtime hours – or about $211,000 in direct overtime wages – and $1.3 million for help from contractors, according to the report. The $1.3 million was paid for by the state’s cyber insurance, according to the governor’s office.

The cost could have been much higher, Moody said. When a data breach targeted the Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts in 2023, it was expected to cost the casino giant more than $100 million.

“I think they got lucky,” said Cameron Call, chief technology officer at the Las Vegas-based cybersecurity company Blue Paladin. “It sounds low compared to some; I don’t know that it’s taking into account the economic cost for the state being down for as long as it was.”

On May 14, a state employee accidentally downloaded a malware-laced system administration tool that was made to mimic a tool frequently accessed by IT personnel, according to the after-action report. That installed a hidden backdoor to give the attacker access, investigators with the cybersecurity firm Mandiant found.

By August, the attacker established encrypted tunnels and used a remote desktop protocol to move across the state’s system, gaining access to the state’s password vault server.

The attacker created a zip file containing sensitive data, including personal information of one former state employee, who was notified, according to the report. Investigators have not found that data was successfully extracted or published on a site.

The report includes steps the state is taking and recommendations to better protect the state in the future, such as creating a centrally-managed security operations center and deploying endpoint detection and response, a platform to improve threat detection.

Cybersecurity experts, however, say those are standard protocols that the state should have been doing for years.

“The recommendations that they put forward are definitely solid, but, you know, they’ve been best practice for quite a while,” Call said.

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Nevada

Las Vegas woman arrested for alleged SNAP fraud

Published

5 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Press Room

Las Vegas woman arrested for alleged SNAP fraud

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Governor’s Office has announced the arrest of Mychelle Lay, a Las Vegas woman allegedly involved in the “theft of personal identifying information and trafficking of… SNAP benefits.”

Multiple cases were marked as suspicious by caseworkers with the Nevada Division of Social Services (DSS), and brought to the attention of the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. It was at this time, officials said, that they learned Nevada State Police (NSP) were also tracking these activities.

“One of our caseworkers first identified suspicious activity after noticing multiple benefit applications tied to the same address. Most of the applications were submitted online and were processed in accordance with federal eligibility guidelines. As fraud tactics evolve, DSS continues to evaluate additional technology tools to strengthen fraud detection and protect the integrity of these programs.” — Robert Thompson, Nevada DSS administrator

In June, 2025, NSP officers with the Parole and Probation Division held a home contact on Lay, a probationer. They discovered fraudulent activity evidence at that time.

During their investigation, NSP learned that Lay had set up a fake business in December, 2024, that was approved for SNAP/EBT transactions and began to operate in January, 2025.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars were processed through this scheme between January and September, 2025, according to financial records. The precise number of individual profiles in connection with the “business” is still unknown.

“While it is concerning to see this level of criminal sophistication, I applaud our state agencies for identifying this potential fraud, launching an investigation, and coordinating with law enforcement and the affected federal agencies. We do not tolerate any level of theft of taxpayer dollars and will continue to work with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds.” — Governor Joe Lombardo

In addition to SNAP fraud, NSP’s investigation revealed “a potential fraud connected to Medicaid enrollment.” Officials are working to learn more about this activity.

The Nevada DSS (administrators of SNAP benefits and processors of Medicaid eligibility) shared that they are working closely with law enforcement’s investigation. The Office of the Inspector General and their Social Security Administration department, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General are also assisting in this case.

“Fraud of this nature is egregious and diverts critical resources from those who need them the most, and puts responsible recipients of public benefits, like Medicaid and SNAP, at risk. This case of fraud highlights the important need for further modernization of Nevada’s systems and technologies. Many of these efforts are already underway at the Nevada Health Authority in partnership with the Nevada Department of Human Services.” — Ann Jensen, Nevada Medicaid administrator

According to the report, Lay was booked into the Clark County Jail with the following charges:

1 count of theft over $100,000
1 count of fraudulent acts — public assistance
1 count of multiple fraudulent transactions through an enterprise or occupation
11 counts of obtaining or using the ID of another

During the time NSP conducted their home contact, Lay was being supervised for possession of a controlled substance and for obtaining and using the personal identifying information of another.

This investigation is still ongoing. If you believe you might be a victim of identity theft, contact the Division of Social Services by visiting a local office, email welfare@dds.nv.gov, or call 702-486-1646 (Southern Nevada) or 775-684-7200 (Northern Nevada).

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Nevada

Lisa Vanderpump named Nevada Ballet Theatre Woman of the Year for April 11 gala

Published

17 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Press Room

Lisa Vanderpump named Nevada Ballet Theatre Woman of the Year for April 11 gala

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Las Vegas entertainment fans will have several big dates to circle this spring, from a high-profile gala honoring Lisa Vanderpump to major concerts and award shows on the Strip.

Vanderpump is set to be honored as the next Nevada Ballet Theatre Woman of the Year at the April 11 Black and White Gala at Encore Las Vegas. Vanderpump gained fame through Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules. She is also an entrepreneur, with her Vanderpump Hotel taking over the Cromwell on the Strip this year. Vanderpump is active in many charity causes and has a background in the arts. “I was born into the acting thing and dancing was a big part of that education,” Vanderpump said.

MORE: Sebastian Maniscalco teams up with Steve Aoki on comedic song ahead of Wynn shows

The Jonas Brothers are scheduled to play Dolby Live on May 20, 22 and 23. The group most recently headlined the theater in 2023, and the family also runs Nelly’s Southern Kitchen at MGM Grand.

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MGM Grand Garden Arena will also host two award shows on consecutive weekends in May: the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 17 and the American Music Awards on Memorial Day, May 25. It is the first time two major award shows have performed on consecutive weekends at MGM Grand.

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Nevada

Who is running for Nevada governor, 2nd Congressional district, Reno Mayor? See full list

Published

1 day ago

March 13, 2026

Press Room

Who is running for Nevada governor, 2nd Congressional district, Reno Mayor? See full list

Over 1,000 candidates have filed to run for political seats across the Silver State at the federal, state and local level as of midday Friday, according to the Secretary of State.

Friday is the last day of the two-week candidate filing period for non-judicial seats. When the candidate lists are finalized, the races for the 2026 midterms will be set.

The top northern Nevada races of the 2026 cycle are likely to be Joe Lombardo’s gubernatorial reelection bid, the open race for Rep. Mark Amodei’s seat in Congress and the open race for Reno Mayor.

Below is a list of the declared candidates for some of the key races, which will be updated throughout the day as more candidates apply to run. To see the full list of candidates for all judicial and non-judicial seats across Nevada, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

Governor of Nevada

Political observers expect Gov. Lombardo to coast through the Republican primary in his reelection bid with no major candidates running against the incumbent. On the Democratic side, five candidates had filed as of midday Friday, including Nevada attorney general Aaron Ford and Washoe County commissioner Alexis Hill.

Aaron D. Ford (D)
Alexis Hill (D)
Allen Rheinhart (no party)
Barak Zilberberg (R)
Danielle Ford (no party)
Donald J. “Donald Jr.” Beaudry Jr. (R)
Emile Bouari (D)
Emilio R. Rodriguez (no party)
Irina Hansen (R)
John T. Scott (no party)
Jordan Koteras (no party)
Jose M. Zelaya (R)
Joseph Lombardo (R)
Matthew R. Winterhawk (R)
Kameron M. Hawkins (R)
Miqehl Bayfield (D)
Sunshine Arterburn (D)
Max Beck (no party)

2nd Congressional District

Rep. Amodei’s surprise retirement announcement earlier this year touched off a frenzy of speculation and rumors in the political world, but the list of declared candidates is now coming in to focus. As of midday Friday, 24 candidates had applied for the seat, which covers all of northern Nevada:

Andrea Lowe (R)
Bruce Grego (R)
Fred J. Simon, Jr. (R)
Gamaliel Z. “Gamy” Enriquez (D)
George Forbush (R)
James A. Settelmeyer (R)
Jennifer Billat (R)
Jerry Olsen (R)
Jesse J. Watts (R)
Johnny E. Kerns (D)
Josh Hebert (D)
Kathy Durham (D)
Lynn Chapman (Independent American Party)
Mark Jolle (D)
Matthew Fonken (D)
Michael “Mike” Smith (R)
Monica Jaye Stabbert (R)
Morgan Wadsworth (D)
Rick Shepherd (R)
Sherman Tylawsky (R)
Teresa F. Benitez-Thompson (D)
Tom Doyle (R)
Robert, G “Greg” Kidd (D)
Douglas “Doug” Miller (R)
William “Bill” Conrad (R)
Gerold L. Gorman (D)
David Flippo (R)

Reno Mayor

Mayor Hillary Schieve is termed out and cannot run for another 4-year term leading the Biggest Little City. As of Friday morning, 9 candidates had filed for the open seat, including a former lieutenant governor and two current council members. Below is the full list of candidates for the nonpartisan seat:

Corinthia M. Yancey
Devon T. Reese
George “Eddie” Lorton
Greg “Nutt” Nuttle
Jesse O. Razo
John Wayne Zink
Kate Marshall
Kathleen Taylor
Tim Ross

Sparks Mayor

Ed Lawson, who has led the City of Sparks as its mayor since his appointment in 2020, is running for a second full term leading the Rail City. So far, three candidates and Lawson have filed to run for the mayoral seat, including current councilwoman Charlene Bybee. Below is the full list of candidates for the nonpartisan seat:

Charlene Bybee
Ed Lawson (incumbent)
Wendi M. Rawson
Diana L. Mackey

Washoe County Sheriff

As of Friday morning, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam was the only candidate to apply for the seat. If no one else files before the Friday deadline, Balaam will win re-election automatically.

Washoe County District Attorney

Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks has filed for re-election, but will face an opponent for the first time in his political career.

Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan is seeking to unseat Hicks. So far, Hicks and Duncan are the only two candidates in the race. If no one else files to run before the deadline, the pair will automatically advance to the general election.

Reno City Attorney

Reno city attorney Karl Hall confirmed to News 4-Fox 11 Thursday that he was not filing for reelection. Hall has been in the seat since his first election victory in 2014.

So far, attorney and professor Zee Bogale is the only candidate who has filed to run for the city attorney’s office. If no one else files for the race, Bogale will win the city attorney seat by default.

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