On November 7, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the University of Maryland hosted a cybersecurity conference to provide sector leaders with information to help combat the rising concern of cybercrime.
What happened
In 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the University of Maryland co-hosted a cybersecurity conference in Baltimore in response to the escalating threat of cybercrime. A concerning statistic referenced was that over 343 million people were impacted by cybercrime which saw a 72% increase globally, according to Forbes Advisor.
Throughout the conference, panels, and workshops provided attendees with insights on identifying emerging threats, managing cyber incidents, and coordinating with law enforcement. The conference offered valuable networking opportunities for business and public sector leaders to discuss and enhance cybersecurity strategies across Maryland.
In the know:
In August 2024 alone, network server breaches exposed the protected health information (PHI) of over 9 million individuals. Network server breaches remain the most common and impactful, with trends from Paubox’s breach report revealing that cybercriminals continually exploit large-scale systems to extract vast amounts of PHI. Email breaches, on the other hand, affected over 300,000 people in September and electronic medical record breaches impacted tens of thousands more.
Attackers have been shown to increasingly target interconnected systems and commonly used channels, exploiting day-to-day operations in healthcare. As breaches become more frequent and severe, the state of healthcare’s cybersecurity challenges serve as a barometer for cybersecurity at large.
Related: HIPAA Breach Report for September 2024
What was said
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron stated, “Cybercrime threatens our national security, our public safety, and our financial security. While we work to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes, law enforcement must also collaborate with the private sector to effectively prevent and disrupt cyber incidents before they happen.”
According to the University of Maryland Darryll J. Pines, “At the University of Maryland, our students and faculty work across campus to develop and deploy technologies to address the grand challenges of our time. We also recognize the importance of protecting our communities from the growing threat of cybercrime that comes when technologies are used for the wrong reasons.”
Related: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide
FAQs
What is cybersecurity?
It is the protection of systems, networks, and data from digital attacks.
Why are cybersecurity threats often targeted at healthcare organizations?
Healthcare organizations are often targeted due to the high value of PHI and the nature of their services making them more likely to pay ransoms.
What are threat actors?
Threat actors are individuals or groups that intentionally launch attacks to exploit systems or steal information.
Kirsten Peremore
