Maryland acknowledges a cyber incident impacting its state transport infrastructure
The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is currently grappling with a cyber incident, which has resulted in various service disruptions across its network.
According to the latest updates, most core transit services are running as scheduled, but some services have been affected. The Baltimore Metro Subway elevators are out of service due to unavailable elevator emergency phones. This issue, along with the current disruptions in Mobility Paratransit Services, has made it difficult for eligible riders to access these services.
New trip bookings and rescheduling of existing trips in Mobility Paratransit Services are temporarily unavailable. However, the MTA has confirmed that all previously scheduled Mobility trips for this week will continue as planned. The MTA advises eligible riders to consider using the Call-A-Ride program as an alternative.
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 cyber incident. The cyber incident is believed to be due to unauthorized access to specific systems.
In response to the incident, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) has activated the Statewide Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). The SEOC includes the MDEM, the MTA, the DoIT, and other appropriate state agencies.
Customers with urgent medical needs are advised to contact their healthcare providers or appropriate emergency services. MTA real-time updates and call center support are experiencing disruptions, and the MTA encourages customers to check their website or social media channels for the latest updates.
The MTA is urging the public to stay informed and to exercise patience as they work diligently to address the cyber incident and restore full service. For customers who require assistance, the MTA is available to help and can be reached through the call center or the Call-A-Ride program.
