ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Real Property Search system remains offline as of Monday, April 20, following the discovery of suspicious activity on state servers, according to officials.
The Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT) said the issue was first detected on April 14, prompting the immediate shutdown of the State Department of Assessments and Taxation’s (SDAT) Real Property Search website to contain potential threats and begin an investigation.
State officials confirmed the system will remain offline until it is cleared for public use.
According to DoIT, early analysis indicates the affected systems contained only publicly available information already accessible through the Real Property Search tool. Officials said they do not anticipate a broader cybersecurity risk to the state at this time, though the investigation remains ongoing.
The outage continues to impact residents, businesses, and real estate professionals who rely on the platform to access property records, ownership information, and assessment data across Maryland.
SDAT is urging users to avoid third-party websites or unofficial links claiming to provide property records while the system is down, warning that such sites may not be secure.
In the meantime, individuals seeking property information are advised to contact their local Real Property Assessment office. Officials said local offices and SDAT’s contact center are prepared to handle increased demand during the outage.
DoIT is also encouraging Maryland residents to follow basic cybersecurity practices, including keeping software updated, avoiding suspicious links, and using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
No timeline has been provided for when the Real Property Search system will be restored.
Got a tip or photo? Text us at 888-871-NEWS (6397) or email news@thebaynet.com.
Join The BayNet Membership for exclusive perks and zero ads.
Don’t miss a story—sign up for our newsletter!
