Van Hollen Requests NSA Briefing on Baltimore Ransomware Attack

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement asking for a full briefing from National Security Agency (NSA) regarding recent reports that the NSA tool, Eternal Blue, was used for the ransomware attack in Baltimore:

“Reports that the Baltimore ransomware attack came as a result of NSA technology are deeply concerning. We must ensure that the tools developed by our agencies do not make their way into the hands of bad actors. Today I contacted Senator Warner, the Ranking Member of the Intelligence Committee, and we will be asking NSA for a full briefing.  Yesterday, I discussed the situation in Baltimore with the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division and he assured me that the FBI is doing everything possible to support the City. I told him that, as indicated in our letter, members of the Maryland delegation look forward to a full briefing once the FBI investigation is complete. In the meantime, I appreciate the efforts of the Mayor and law enforcement to get the Baltimore systems back up and running, and I will continue to monitor this situation closely. Following this attack, we need to work across all levels of government to harden our systems and prevent future break-ins.” 

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