The Florida Department of Health has been grappling with the fallout from a cyberattack that targeted its Vital Statistics System, causing substantial interruptions to crucial services. Efforts to restore the network are ongoing, however, the situation was compounded by a second cyber incident, as reported by NBC Miami. The disrupted services have put a temporary halt to issuing death certificates, leading to delays that affect a variety of financial and legal processes for Florida residents.
Earlier this month, a hacking group known as RansomHub claimed responsibility for the recent breach, threatening to divulge health department information on the dark web unless a ransom is paid. In accordance with state law, Florida prohibits payment in such instances and is thus working with law enforcement to address the problem. Jae Williams, an agency spokeswoman, informed NBC Miami in an email that the department has established offline procedures to keep issuing death certificates during this digital blackout.
While the Vital Statistics System remains offline, county health departments have issued birth certificates for infants born up until June 28, 2024. However, new births from June 28, 2024 onward require manual processing, according to health officials as reported by NBC Miami. State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo stated that his team is fully dedicated to resolving the system's issues, confirming that most agency services are still operational.
This technical disruption follows a March 29, 2024, cyberattack on the Department of Juvenile Justice's computer system, which left many contractors disconnected from the network crucial for aiding at-risk youth and troubled minors. According to the Miami Herald, Amanda Slama, a spokeswoman for the DJJ, announced a phased restoration of their systems to ensure data integrity. These incidents have raised concerns among cybersecurity professionals. Aaron Ward from iVenture Solutions, speaking to The News Service of Florida, stated, "I think, in this situation, three months is too long," expressing concerns about the state's cybersecurity posture.
In the meantime, the DJJ confirms that children in need continue to receive services, and agencies have been forced to rely on paper documentation for critical tasks usually managed digitally. “There’s always more that we can do and I think the technology evolves, but I think we want our state agencies, if they believe that their system has been breached, we want them to take these precautions. We don’t want all the data revealed,” Sen. Jennifer Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican, conveyed to the Miami Herald in a phone interview.
