Vermont governor deploys National Guard to help with cyberattack

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott ordered the Vermont Army National Guard’s Combined Cyber Response Team (CCRT) to help the University of Vermont Health Network (UVMHN) to respond to a cyberattack last week.

The National Guard will be deployed to review thousands of computers and devices to ensure they are free of malware or virus.

“I appreciate the work of the UVM Health Network, with support from State agencies and state and federal law enforcement, to respond quickly to this cyberattack, putting patient safety first and steadily restoring systems in a safe and secure manner,” Scott said. “The support of the Guard’s talented and experienced Cyber Response Team will further bolster this important work.”

The Vermont Army National Guard’s CCRT unit comprises soldiers from 2nd Detachment, 136th Cyber Security Company, and Joint Force Headquarters, Vermont Defensive Cyber Operations Element. The CCRT recently participated in Cyber Shield 2020, a national exercise focused on providing cyber support to mission partners like UVMHN.

“We have been working closely with the UVMHN Information Technology team to tailor a support package to best assist them,” Col. Chris Evans, chief information officer, Vermont Army National Guard, said. “National Guard Cyber Soldiers are trained IT professionals that come with military and industry backgrounds and training. This diverse training and experience fosters efficient and effective cyber response teams capable of a wide range of technological security tasks.”

John Brumsted, president and CEO of the UVM Health Network, said the organization is working around the clock to repair the system. He thanked the Vermont National Guard and the governor for their assistance.

“The deployment of the Vermont National Guard’s Combined Cyber Response Team 1 will aid our recovery from this incident, and this team’s expert advice and assistance will bolster our network’s operations going forward. We appreciate the outpouring of support and understanding we have received from our patients and communities. We will continue to dedicate all available resources to this response until our systems are restored,” Brumsted said.