HAUPPAUGE, NY--Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey today announced the formation of a Special Legislative Committee to investigate the recent cyberattack on Suffolk County’s IT system. The committee will be led by Legislator Anthony Piccirillo, Chairman of the Government Operations and Information Technology Committee.
“This Special Committee will be given whatever tools necessary to make sure no stone remains unturned, including the ability to retain outside experts, subpoena powers and the ability to put witnesses under oath,” said McCaffrey. “This is not about engaging in partisan politics, but rather working together for the benefit of the people of Suffolk County.”
The bipartisan Committee will be tasked with determining the source of the breach and identifying failed policies which led to the cyber intrusion that, since September 8, has crippled county services and compromised the personal data of an unknown number of residents.
“The taxpayers deserve to know exactly how and when this cyber intrusion happened, how long they were in our networks and what personal information was compromised,” said Piccirillo. “The committee will determine how taxpayer money earmarked for cybersecurity was spent in prior years, and what steps must be taken to ensure that our systems are not vulnerable to a future attack.”
McCaffrey said politics will not fuel the investigation. “While some elected officials have already chosen to engage in spreading misinformation and grandstanding for their own political gain, this committee will not stoop to their level. This committee will put the interests of the people of Suffolk County first.”
“The legislature has responsibly waited to act so the county could mitigate this massive, unprecedented breach and bring services back online for the taxpayers,” said Piccirillo. “Now it’s time to find answers and, most importantly, solutions.”
“Let me be clear, this will not be a witch hunt,” said McCaffrey. “However, we have an obligation to the residents of Suffolk County to conduct a careful and thorough independent review of what led us to this troubling situation.”