1. Ransomware attacks are increasing

Ransomware is a form of cyber-crime where hackers encrypt information and even sometimes entire devices to collect a ransom for the decryption of said information or device. Ransomware attacks against municipalities began to grow in 2019. '’In 2019, cybersecurity experts noticed a significant uptick in ransomware attacks on municipalities across the country.” (Washington Post). With increasing ransomware attacks, it becomes increasingly important for local governments to secure their infrastructure.

  1. Outdated IT management systems

Some local governments don’t have adequate staff or systems in place to prevent cyber-attacks. “Without a dedicated IT staff and with a reliance on aging infrastructures, many cash-strapped municipalities are ripe for attack.” (Diligent Insights). This causes municipality employees to make catastrophic mistakes. “At the outset of 2020, an informal survey conducted by Diligent of municipal officials involved in agenda creation revealed that 97% were transferring sensitive documents via email.” (Diligent Insights).

  1. Cyber-security often not treated as priority

Sometimes, local officials are the ones pushing cyber-security to the end of the line. “Local government IT leaders report that although cybersecurity is a clear concern, it is often not treated as a top concern by local elected officials.” (StateTech). With lack of support from local elected officials, it is difficult for IT leaders to effectively maintain security.

  1. Inadequate Funding

Another aspect detrimental to cyber-security that local governments lack is adequate funding. “When it comes to cybersecurity funding, 66 percent of IT executives say they think their cybersecurity budget is not adequate.” (StateTech). Without adequate funding to improve their outdated systems, governments become increasingly vulnerable. It is essential to raise and not cut funding to IT departments in the wake of increasing cyber-attacks against governments.

  1. Lack of training

In some governments, a lack of training for government officials can affect cyber-security. “In fact, 15 percent of IT executives say their elected officials and their staffs and senior leadership are exempt from organizational awareness training programs. Overall, 87 percent of local governments do provide cybersecurity awareness training for employees. Of these local governments, 56 percent provide ongoing training throughout the year, while 33 percent provide training once a year.” (StateTech). A lack of training could cause a misunderstanding of IT functions, causing vulnerabilities.

 

Responsive Technology Partners specializes in Local Government cybersecurity. Here's what some of our favorite clients have to say:

"I have had the pleasure of working with Responsive Technology Partners as the County Administrator or Interim Administrator in Washington and Twiggs. In both cases, the county needed to improve its IT capabilities very quickly.

Responsive Technology Partners has a capable staff and uses smart implementation strategies to meet this goal. Also, their ongoing maintenance support is excellent and timely. The Responsive Technology Partners team also very much understand the budget limitations of County governments and are very reasonable in approach to make improvements. As an Interim Administrator, Counties are often looking for me to help them make quick differences and Responsive Technology Partners is always a great resource to call on." -Chris Hutchings, County and Business Consultant

"Responsive Technology Partners has given me peace of mind knowing that our computers are protected and being monitored. They have a quick response time to the problems that we need help with. There is no more waiting several days before the issue is addressed, which was the issue that I had with other IT companies. Having someone watching your system, knowing it is backed up and protected and having a company on call that knows and understands your system is vital." -Linda Cook, Putnam County Finance Director

If you are affiliated with a local government and have questions, please contact us today at https://www.responsivetechnologypartners.com/contact-us/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

Freeman, Diana Baker, et al. “Cyber Risks for Local Governments in 2021 and Steps to Prevent Attacks.” Diligent Insights, 15 Mar. 2021, insights.diligent.com/cybersecurity-local-government/cyber-risks-and-mitigation-2021/.

Phil Goldstein Twitter Phil Goldstein is the web editor for FedTech and StateTech. Besides keeping up with the latest in technology trends, he is also an avid lover of the New York Yankees. “The State of Local Government Cybersecurity.” Technology Solutions That Drive Government, 18 Sept. 2020, statetechmagazine.com/article/2020/12/state-local-government-cybersecurity.

Elwood, Karina. “Ransomware Poses Threat to Vulnerable Local Governments.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 22 Aug. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/local/local-government-ransomware-dc/2021/08/05/048051cc-efc6-11eb-81d2-ffae0f931b8f_story.html.