Alabama Board of Nursing

Summary

A cyberattack has taken the Alabama Board of Nursing’s online licensing system offline, disrupting services during a peak period for license renewals and new graduations. The board has introduced paper applications with external primary source reviews for advanced practice nurses, while new RN and LPN graduates and out‑of‑state applicants can also submit paper forms, and it continues to post NCLEX results and a list of newly authorized nurses on its website. Although it cannot issue Alabama license numbers until the system is restored, verification can be done through the NURSYS database, and probation and VDAP participants are temporarily unable to use internal monitoring apps but must continue required screenings. The board warns of scams using spoofed contacts and says the investigation remains active with cybersecurity professionals and state resources.

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TTPs

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Description

On September 1, 2026, the Alabama Board of Nursing’s online licensing system was taken offline by a cyberattack, disrupting services during a peak period for license renewals and new graduate applications. Approximately 80,000 registered nurses were scheduled to renew their licenses while new graduates sought initial licensure to begin work. The outage prevented nurses from submitting electronic applications, checking license status, or accessing verification services through the board’s website. The board acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and emphasized that securing licensees’ data and preventing further harm were its top priorities.

In response, the board created a paper application process accompanied by external primary source reviews for advanced practice nurses seeking initial approval, reinstatement, or new collaboration agreements, stating that incomplete or missing information would not be processed. By the Wednesday afternoon following the announcement, new RN and LPN graduates were also permitted to submit paper applications, with the same option extended to nurses licensed in other states who wished to practice in Alabama. The board indicated that paper applications could be mailed or dropped off at its office and that updates would be posted on its website, though it provided no firm date for restoring online services. To support verification, the board began posting a running list of successful NCLEX candidates on September 8, showing each individual as legally authorized to practice in Alabama. The board advised that licensure could be validated using the National Council of State Boards of Nursing identifier or the NURSYS database, which contained data current through August 31.

The board also noted that probation and VDAP participants could not access monitoring applications within its system due to the incident, while the random drug screening program remained in effect and participants were instructed to continue checking in with Affinity. Self‑reports originally due September 5 were waived, but the information was to be included in the October 5 report, with contact information provided for VDAP Director Shaye Robinson and Probation Director Rachel Brazell. The board warned of ongoing scam attempts involving spoofed phone numbers and forged documents, stating that no ABN employee would request secrecy or immediate payment and advising recipients to note caller details and call the board at 334‑293‑5200. In a September 10 statement, Executive Officer Dr. Natalie Baker said the investigation remained active and ongoing, with the board working alongside cybersecurity professionals and state resources and that further details would be shared once facts were validated.

Sources

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