Information Technology Archives

Biotech Continues To Expand in Frederick County

The Frederick County Office of Economic Development (FCOED) and Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. (FITCI) have announced that Cytomos, a biotech innovator based in the United Kingdom, has officially launched its U.S. expansion through the Maryland Global Gateway program. The company established its U.S. operations in March in Frederick, Maryland, and welcomed Cailyn McNeil as its first Maryland-based team member to spearhead growth and engagement in the state. From the county release: “Cytomos’s decision to join the Global…

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July 24, 2025

County News / Information Technology / Summer Conference

Power, Potential, and Preemption: AI’s Local Impact at #MACoCon

At this year’s MACo Summer Conference, county leaders and tech experts will tackle one of today’s most pressing questions: How can counties lead on innovation while navigating growing concerns over transparency, ethics, and preemption? Across Maryland, counties are already using AI to streamline operations, enhance service delivery, and analyze data in ways that were previously inaccessible. But as these tools become more powerful — and more widely adopted — questions around regulation, accountability, and local…

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July 22, 2025

County News / Cyber / Information Technology / News You Can Use

Urgent Cyber Alert for MD Local Govs

The Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT) is actively monitoring a widespread cybersecurity disruption potentially affecting local government systems, including on-premises SharePoint servers. To assess exposure and coordinate a unified response across the state, DoIT is requesting urgent input from local governments. As covered in a recent MACo blog, a newly discovered security flaw in Microsoft SharePoint has triggered a wave of cyberattacks targeting governments, universities, and private organizations, including multiple US federal and state…

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July 21, 2025

County News / Cyber / Information Technology / Summer Conference

Zero-Day SharePoint Hack Targets Governments, Businesses — Here’s What Counties Need to Know

A newly discovered security flaw in Microsoft SharePoint has triggered a wave of cyberattacks targeting governments, universities, and private organizations, including multiple US federal and state agencies. The exploit, now designated CVE-2025-53770, allows attackers to gain complete, unauthenticated access to on-premise SharePoint servers, with the ability to read, delete, or manipulate internal content and configurations. Microsoft SharePoint remains widely deployed by counties and other state and local governments to manage documents, internal workflows, and public-facing…

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July 21, 2025

Cyber / Information Technology / Summer Conference

The Cyberattack “Hot Wash” – Lessons Learned After Things Went Wrong

Cyberattacks are no longer a question of if, but when. As threats escalate, so does the urgency for jurisdictions to strengthen defenses and prepare for the realities of disruption and recovery. Governments are often on the front lines of cybersecurity threats, managing vast amounts of sensitive data with limited resources. From police departments to tax systems to emergency communications, local government networks power critical public services that communities rely on every day. However, in recent…

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July 14, 2025

County News / Emergency Management / Information Technology / News You Can Use

Maryland Eyes First-in-the-Nation Statewide 3-1-1 System

Maryland could soon lead the nation in launching a statewide 3-1-1 system — connecting residents to government services while easing the burden on 9-1-1 centers. At its first meeting this week, the Workgroup to Study Implementation of an Expanded 3-1-1 Nonemergency System began evaluating how to design a consistent, coordinated platform across Maryland’s 24 counties. Created by legislation MACo supported in the 2025 session (SB 775/HB 1027), the workgroup is required to deliver its recommendations…

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July 2, 2025

Cyber / Information Technology / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use

US Senate Removes 10-Year Ban Provision on State and Local AI Laws

The US Senate, in bipartisan efforts, rejected a sweeping attempt to block state and local governments from regulating AI, reaffirming their authority to protect residents amid rapidly evolving technology. As covered in a Government Technology article, the US Senate overwhelmingly voted to remove a proposed 10-year moratorium on state-level artificial intelligence regulations from the One Big, Beautiful Bill budget legislation. The provision, which would have blocked states and local governments from enforcing or enacting AI…

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July 2, 2025

Cyber / Information Technology / Summer Conference

New York’s Cyber Law Sets New Standards for Local Govs

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated and persistent, states like New York are increasing cybersecurity requirements, including for local governments. In a recent Government Technology article, New York has enacted a new law that aims to strengthen cybersecurity requirements for local governments and public authorities. Under the law, agencies must report cyber incidents within 72 hours and ransomware payments within 24 hours to the State’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. It also mandates…

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July 1, 2025

County News / Information Technology / Summer Conference

Don’t Miss the Latest and Greatest Tech Innovations at the #MACoCon Tech Expo

MACo’s Tech Expo, which will take place on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, will feature intense hands-on immersion in new and developing technologies. The exhibit hall will host 60 technology-focused vendors. MACo’s 2025 Summer Conference, “Funding the Future: The Evolving Role of Local Government,” will explore the pressing issues that shape Maryland’s counties and the innovative solutions that can guide their success in the years to come. As always, the conference will feature four days of…

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June 30, 2025

Health and Human Services / Information Technology / Public Safety and Corrections

Scammers Targeting Older Adults in MD

Scammers are increasingly targeting older adults in Maryland. Advocates argue Maryland is targeted because of a larger number of employees who have a pension plan. In a Maryland Matters article, AARP Maryland recently held an event that highlighted where scammers are increasingly targeting older adults. AARP, federal and state partners, along with other advocacy groups, are advocating for increased efforts to protect this population of Marylanders. From the article: According to AARP, older Americans reported…

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June 18, 2025