Details: Aitkin County cyber incident involving MnCHOICES data - June 2026
On June 17, 2026, the Minnesota Department of Human Services mailed clients notification of a cyber incident involving DHS MnCHOICES data accessed in an Aitkin County employee’s email account. The MnCHOICES application is used by counties, Tribal Nations, health plans and consultation services providers to support assessment and planning work for Minnesotans who need long-term services and supports.
In May, Aitkin County notified DHS that a phishing attack had compromised a county employee’s email, including a MnCHOICES report that DHS shared as part of its regular business serving residents in partnership with the county. In addition to county resident data, the report also inadvertently included viewable MnCHOICES information for people who live outside the county, totaling 82,384 people’s protected data.
After discovering the cyber incident on April 8, 2026, the county immediately launched an investigation with the assistance of nationally recognized third-party cybersecurity and data forensics consultants. At this time, the county has no evidence the information accessed in the county email account has been misused.