Washington ? The Interior Department won a reprieve Friday from a judge’s order to disconnect from the Internet all computer systems with access to accounts it manages for thousands of American Indians.

In a motion filed in federal courts, officials had said disconnecting the computers would cause “massive injury to the public interest and the operations of government.”

An appellate court on Friday granted a stay allowing the department to appeal the judge’s ruling.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the shutdown on Thursday, saying the department’s computer security was so bad that hackers could easily break into the system and access and manipulate the Indians’ account information.

He directed the department to disconnect all but those systems necessary to protect from fire or threats to life, property or national security.

The government argues there is no evidence that any accounts have been hacked or that the damage would be irreparable if they were.