Maryland Department of Health to brief House-Senate Joint Committee on lingering high-profile cyberattack.

On Thursday, the Maryland Department of Health will brief the House Health and Government Operations Committee and the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on a cyberattack that took several department-hosted systems offline and hamstrung the department’s capacity to update its COVID-19 data dashboard. While many MDH systems are back online, some remain inaccessible.

Hackers are increasingly targeting states and local governments with sophisticated cyberattacks. Now more than ever, securing government information systems is critical. Cyber intrusions can be very disruptive, jeopardizing sensitive information, critical infrastructure, public safety, and the delivery of essential services.

As previously reported on Conduit Street, a workgroup convened by the Maryland Cybersecurity Council recommends that the State bolster its support for local governments to safeguard critical infrastructure and defend against malicious cyberattacks.

Useful Links

MD Cybersecurity Study: State Should Do More to Help Local Govts

Watch the hearing on Thursday.

Listen to Conduit Street Podcast’s Recent Episode on Cybersecurity