As we’ve seen over the past several years, government agencies continue to provide appealing targets for phishing and ransomware attacks. Cybercriminals have found they can acquire valuable information, or block government access to that information, by attacking unprepared state and local agencies.
Often, state and local governments haven’t planned ahead to protect their systems. This mistake should be addressed as quickly as possible, and the first step agencies should take is to determine what data and IT assets they have on their hands and the best way to secure them.
Agencies hold information on citizens, including sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, and this may prove attractive to cybercriminals. But a recent survey by the Public Technology Institute finds only 35 percent of local government IT officials say their agencies have a cybersecurity strategic plan.
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State and Local Agencies Must Inventory Their IT Assets
“The Cybersecurity Insight Report” by CDW offers some sound advice for state and local governments: “Surprisingly, many organizations fail the most basic step to mitigating risk — identifying the key assets that must be protected in…
