Maryland county reopens offices, limits access to systems after cyberattack
Officials in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, limited internet access to some of its computer systems on Tuesday after a cyberattack over the weekend prompted the county to shut down operations and close offices on Monday, forcing non-emergency government employees to telework.
While offices reopened Tuesday, officials for the Maryland county, which is home to more than half a million people, said they were taking a “proactive approach” until they’re able to safely restore operations.
“Precautionary measures include limiting access to the Internet until we are able to return to full operations,” reads a news release posted to the county’s website on Monday. “Residents are encouraged to contact departments to determine their operation status before visiting as some services may be limited.”
Though county offices were open, officials encouraged eligible employees to continue working remotely due to potential internet connectivity issues.
According to the release, the county Office of Information Technology is working with law enforcement, IT specialists and cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident, which officials said did not impact the public library or public schools.
The full scope of the impact is still being determined, but County Executive Steuart Pittman on Monday posted on X that IT officials “have been working around the clock since this incident began on Saturday morning, and remain focused on getting critical services back online safely and as quickly as possible.”
Anne Arundel County is only the latest local government to suffer a cyberattack. The Virginia attorney general’s office also experienced a cyberattack this month, prompting officials to shut down computer systems and direct employees to rely on paper court filings.
