Sen. Nick Miller announces $250,000 cybersecurity grant for Lehigh, Northampton counties
Sen. Nick Miller announces $250,000 cybersecurity grant for Lehigh, Northampton counties
Publish Date: 2026-03-19 18:43:00
Source Domain: lehighdaily.com
State Sen. Nick Miller announced a $250,000 state grant at a community meeting Thursday at a Lehigh Valley senior center. The grant will bolster cybersecurity infrastructure across Lehigh and Northampton counties.
Miller also fielded questions from residents about AI scams, election security, and the growing threat of data breaches.
Miller, a Democrat representing portions of Lehigh and Northampton counties and the minority chair of the Senate Communications and Technology Committee, said the $250,000 grant will help local governments fight cybercrime on multiple fronts.
The state, in partnership with Concurrent Technologies Corporation—a Pennsylvania-based defense and cybersecurity contractor—will assess county systems for vulnerabilities and train government staff to recognize and avoid phishing, malware, and other cyber threats.
“This is not a partisan issue; it’s a real community issue,” Miller said. “These attacks are actively happening.”
The event took place at Lehigh Valley Active Life, a community center on West Elm Street in Allentown that offers programs, social activities, and resources to seniors. The center is sponsored in part by the Lehigh County Office of Aging and Adult Services.
About a dozen residents attended.
They raised concerns about phone scams, AI-generated content, and the security of November’s elections.
Miller pointed to a string of cyberattacks on local institutions as evidence of the urgency. Allentown was hit with a cyberattack in 2018 that cost roughly $1 million in ransom and resulted in the loss of data.
In 2023, Lehigh Valley Health Network was targeted by the BlackCat ransomware group, resulting in the compromise of patients’ personal information. And in 2025, the OnSolve CodeRED emergency notification system used across the region was itself breached.
Miller also referenced a recent incident at Lehigh Carbon Community College, though he said his office…
