Maryland Investigating Suspicious Activity on Property Records Website

April 20, 2026 - 01:42

Maryland officials have taken a key state website offline after detecting suspicious activity earlier this month. According to the Maryland Department of Information Technology, unusual activity was identified on the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation's Real Property Search website in April.

The platform, a public portal used by residents, realtors, and title companies to access crucial property ownership and tax assessment data, has been inaccessible since the discovery. State cybersecurity teams acted swiftly to isolate the system, initiating a comprehensive forensic investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether any sensitive personal or financial data was compromised during the event. The investigation is focused on understanding the origin of the activity and assessing any potential impact on the information housed within the system. State officials emphasize that taking the site offline was a precautionary measure to ensure the integrity of the data and protect user information.

There is currently no estimated timeline for when the Real Property Search website will be fully restored and returned to public access. The state has advised individuals and businesses requiring immediate property record information to contact local assessment offices directly while the digital service remains unavailable. The incident underscores the ongoing challenges state governments face in securing public-facing digital infrastructure against evolving cyber threats.