BALTIMORE, MD—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the University of Maryland co-hosted a cybersecurity conference on Thursday to address the growing threat of cybercrime.

The conference brought together cybersecurity experts from government and the private sector to equip business and public sector leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to combat the rising tide of data breaches. According to Forbes Advisor, data breaches increased globally by 72% in 2023, with more than 343 million people falling victim to cybercrime.

“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 conference featured discussions on emerging threats, best practices, and effective collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies, the private sector, and law enforcement. Panelists provided attendees with insights on identifying threats and weaknesses, managing cyber incidents, and coordinating with law enforcement.

The conference underscored the importance of sustained collaboration between government, business, and public sectors to safeguard critical infrastructure. These partnerships, fostered through thoughtful discussions, will continue to be a key factor in protecting against future cyber threats.

“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,” said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. “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.”

The conference also served as a platform for networking and fostering ongoing conversations about enhancing cybersecurity across all sectors of Maryland.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

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