U.S. Attorney’s Office and University of Maryland Co Host Cybersecurity Conference Amid Spike in Data-Breach Crimes

Baltimore, Maryland - Did you know that in 2023, more than 343 million people were victims of a cybercrime? Today, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland and the University of Maryland hosted a cybersecurity conference to arm business and public sector leaders with vital information to help combat this worldwide issue.

According to Forbes Advisor, in 2023, data breaches increased globally by 72 percent. In response to this alarming trend, cybersecurity experts from government and the private sector educated attendees about emerging threats; best practices; and effective collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies; the private sector; and law enforcement.

"Cybercrime threatens our national security, our public safety, and our financial security," said
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. "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. The thoughtful discussions inspired by this conference sets the stage for continued collaboration and partnership between the government, business, and public sectors to protect our critical infrastructure. Many thanks to University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines and our partners at the University for their co-sponsorship of this important conference."

Conference panelists taught attendees how to identify threats and weaknesses, manage a cyber incident, and coordinate with law enforcement. The conference also served as an opportunity for participants to network and continue conversations about enhancing cybersecurity across all sectors of Maryland.

"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," said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. "We are grateful for the opportunity provided by this conference to engage with business and government leaders to tackle these critical issues."

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/cybersecurity.

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