Winona County paid more than $128K following January ransomware attack

Winona County, Minnesota experienced two separate ransomware incidents in 2026: a January 22 attack that resulted in a negotiated payment of $128,539.57 (with the insurer's assistance) to resume services and protect personal information, and an unrelated April 7 attack attributed by threat actors calling themselves InterLock who reportedly dumped stolen data; the county engaged forensic experts and federal law enforcement and notified affected individuals in May.