The Governor of the State of Louisiana John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency due to severe, intentional cybersecurity breaches in the Sabine, Morehouse and City of Monroe school districts that potentially compromise other public and private entities throughout the state. 

The declaration states that the cybersecurity incidents are an "imminent threat to the citizens of the State." All departments, commissions, boards, agencies and officers of the state and any other political subdivision are authorized and directed to cooperate in actions that the state deems appropriate to solve and mitigate the effects of the cybersecurity breach. 

The declaration makes available state resources and allows for assistance from cybersecurity experts from the Louisiana National Guard, Louisiana State Police, the Office of Technology Services and others to assist local governments in responding to and preventing future data loss.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) has activated its Crisis Action Team and also the Emergency Services Function-17 to coordinate the response to this cybersecurity incident. So far, the state is coordinating with the FBI, state agencies and higher education partners, a press release says. 

“The state was made aware of a malware attack on a few north Louisiana school systems and we have been coordinating a response ever since,” Gov. Edwards said. “This is exactly why we established the Cyber Security Commission, focused on preparing for, responding to and preventing cybersecurity attacks, and we are well-positioned to assist local governments as they battle this current threat.”