PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Within Gov. Ron DeSantis’ budget recommendations published on Sunday, is a new discretionary expenditure for a cybersecurity subject matter expert for about $920,000.
The request comes seven months after the Florida Department of Health was hit by a ransomware attack, which resulted in Floridians private health information becoming publicized and delays in processing birth and death certificates.
Robert Bucchere tells WPTV why cybersecurity proposal is a good thing
It’s unclear if the request is connected to the cyberattack on the health department. But, the Governor’s Office justified the spending that would become recurring to establish a cybersecurity subject matter expert for audit, investigative and incident response services available for the chief inspector general and the state agency inspector general offices.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ransomware attack delaying department from issuing birth certificates
"Approved funding would be used for investigating and analyzing computer systems, networks and digital devices for evidence of criminal activity, security breaches and other types of misconduct," the Governor’s Office said.
Robert Bucchere, who lost his wife, Camille, in July, told us the hack stoped him from getting a death certificate for 14 days. The delay stoped his family from having a funeral, while his wife sat in a freezer before being cremated.
"It's just scary, it's just a nightmare," Bucchere told WPTV’s Ethan Stein in July. "It sounds silly, but there are so many things you need to do. You can't take her name off a bank account, because they don't have a death certificate. You can't do life insurance, you can't go to the DMV to surrender her driver's license, because they need a death certificate. You can't call Social Security, because you can't do anything with that, because you need a death certificate."
Families tell WPTV investigative reporter Ethan Stein how they're unable to get birth and death certificates
Bucchere told us on Tuesday he believes this proposal would have helped resolve the situation sooner.
He hopes it can stop future cyberattacks from happening at state agencies.
“I think anything to prevent what happened to me and other people that experienced what I experienced with a death certificate or birth certificate,” Bucchere said. “I think it would be a great thing.”
WPTV's coverage on Florida Department of Health ransomware attack:
Lake Worth Beach
'Just a mess': Why Floridians can't obtain recent birth or death certificates
Royal Palm Beach
