Anne Arundel County Hit by Ransomware Attack Amid Maryland Cyber Threats
Anne Arundel County, based in Annapolis, Maryland, has suffered a ransomware attack attributed to the INC ransomware group. Detected on February 22, 2025, the attack has disrupted multiple public services, though 911 and 311 systems remain operational. The county’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system, used by first responders, has been down since 9:45 a.m., impacting call management but not emergency dispatching. County officials have received messages indicating that several terabytes of data have been leaked on a dark web blog. The FBI and CISA are actively investigating
This attack is the latest in a string of cyber incidents affecting Maryland. On January 27, 2025, Frederick Health in Frederick suffered a ransomware attack that forced its emergency department to suspend new admissions and divert ambulances to other hospitals. The incident placed the hospital on "mini disaster" status, severely impacting patient care. Additionally, in 2019, Baltimore City fell victim to the RobinHood ransomware, which resulted in $18 million in recovery costs after the city refused to pay a ransom. The Anne Arundel County government has not disclosed whether it will negotiate with attackers, and cybersecurity experts continue to warn of rising threats to public infrastructure.