Maryland Admits to Cyber Attack Impacting Its State Transport Infrastructure

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is currently grappling with a cyber incident that has caused disruptions to its real-time updates and call center support, according to recent statements. The unauthorized access to specific systems has left customers without real-time updates, making it difficult to plan their journeys.

In response to this incident, the MTA is collaborating with the Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT), third-party cybersecurity experts, and law enforcement partners to investigate and remediate the issue.

Meanwhile, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) has activated the Statewide Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). The SEOC, a central facility responsible for coordinating Maryland's response to emergencies, includes the MDEM, the MTA, the DoIT, and other appropriate state agencies. However, the search results do not provide information about which authority or institution activated the SEOC or the reason for its activation.

The cyber incident has also affected some of the MTA's services. Baltimore Metro Subway elevators are out of service due to unavailable elevator emergency phones. Mobility Paratransit Services have temporary disruptions, with new trip bookings and rescheduling of existing trips unavailable. However, all previously scheduled Mobility trips for this week will still be honored, as stated earlier. The Call-A-Ride program, on the other hand, remains operational.

The MTA advises eligible riders to consider using the Call-A-Ride program, which is still operational, contrary to the temporary disruptions in Mobility Paratransit Services. Customers with urgent medical needs are advised to contact their healthcare providers or appropriate emergency services.

Despite these disruptions, most core transit services, including Local Bus, Metro Subway, Light Rail, MARC, and Commuter Bus, are currently running as scheduled.

The MTA urges customers to stay informed through its official channels and to check for updates regularly. The MTA's social media posts have assured customers that all previously scheduled Mobility trips for this week will be honored.

As the investigation and remediation efforts continue, the MTA will provide updates on the status of its services and the resolution of the cyber incident.