FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 6, 2026

Contact: Josie Harms

Rhoden Administration Heightens Security Monitoring and Cyber Vigilance Following Events in Iran

PIERRE, S.D. – In the wake of the recent events in Iran, Governor Larry Rhoden, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS), the South Dakota National Guard (SDNG), and the entire State of South Dakota are actively coordinating with our military and intelligence partners to identify and assess any potential emerging threats that could affect our state.

“Keeping South Dakotans safe is my number one priority, and in uncertain times such as these, vigilance is of utmost importance,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “National security is something I don’t take lightly – we will continue to work hard to strengthen our critical infrastructure and identify potential threats as we support the Trump Administration’s work to keep Americans safe.”

Governor Rhoden previously established the Governor’s Resilience and Infrastructure Task Force (GRIT), which is protecting against possible cybersecurity vulnerabilities and strengthening critical infrastructure systems. Governor Rhoden signed SB 75, a GRIT recommendation, earlier this week.

In Governor Rhoden’s State of the State Address, he also declared national security as South Dakota’s “next big industry.”

Cyber activity is frequently associated with Iranian state and proxy actors. Malicious actors are highly sophisticated and often attempt to trick users into clicking harmful links or following fraudulent directives that appear to come from trusted executives or partners. Maintaining strong cybersecurity best practices and exercising caution remain the best defenses against potential cyber threats.

Governor Rhoden, DPS, and SDNG encourage all citizens and organizations to:

• Maintain heightened awareness of potential attempts to disrupt or infiltrate your cyber platforms and promptly report any suspicious activity;
• Independently verify any requests involving significant financial transactions or sensitive information through a known and trusted contact method; and
• Carefully scrutinize unusual, unexpected, or newly formatted requests, and do not click on links or open attachments from unknown or unverified sources.

###