After a cyberattack threw Nevada's digital services into disarray, the state's firearms background check system is finally back online, as announced by the Governor's Technology Office and the Nevada Department of Public Safety's State Police Division. The disruption, which began on August 24, had made it impossible for licensed firearms dealers to carry out the necessary background checks, stalling sales and fostering unease among those awaiting gun purchases, according to a report by the Las Vegas Sun.
With systems back operational as of this morning, both electronic and telephone support facilities have been restored; however, officials have cautioned that processing may be slower than usual due to the backlog this incident created. Governor Joe Lombardo, reporting that 90% of public-facing state websites are now functioning, underscored the importance of the DMV and other essential services' return to form, although he also acknowledged the delayed process for firearm background checks could still cause some challenges for dealers and buyers, as reported by Hoodline.
Throughout the downtime, firearm dealers like Discount Firearms and Ammo found themselves unable to close on sales, which was attributed to Nevada's choice to handle background checks on a state level, using the Brady system in lieu of the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). "We won't be able to determine their criminal history or their ability to purchase a gun or own a gun through the federal guidelines, so until that does happen, a proper sale of a firearm cannot occur," noted Governor Lombardo, as Hoodline obtained from News 3 LV.
The state's recovery measures included a comprehensive password reset and heightened security protocols to fend off further cyber threats. Lombardo revealed that these steps have so far helped the state manage approximately 150 million hits to our state firewalls, a testament to the resilience of Nevada's cyber defenses following the significant digital assault.
