It is the immediate responsibility of local government executives to ensure the safety and well-being of their communities. More and more citizen services are being provided online, and the pandemic has only accelerated municipal governments’ efforts to undergo a digital transition. Because of this, local government executives now need to think beyond traditional management and consider their residents’ needs; they must comprehend the risks and consequences associated with the digital reality, namely cybersecurity threats.
Local governments have emerged as primary targets for cyberattacks in recent years, and the frequency of these attacks has been steadily increasing. The Centre for Internet Security recently released a report stating that, in the first eight months of 2023, local governments witnessed a 148% increase in cyberattacks and a 51% increase in ransomware incidents compared to the same period in 2022. A “313% rise in endpoint security services incidents and such as data breaches and unauthorized access and insider threats” was also noted in a StatEScoop review of the report. Georgia was recently hit by a ransomware attack that rendered their services unusable, highlighting the vulnerability of local infrastructure and the severe consequences of cyberattacks.
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Why are local governments so attractive to cybercriminals?
Safeguarding the data: Local governments are valuable targets for data breaches because they possess a wealth of sensitive citizen data, including social security numbers, financial records, and medical information.
Restricted resources: Several municipal governments, in contrast to businesses, operate with smaller IT budgets and little cybersecurity expertise, leaving them less prepared to defend against sophisticated assaults.
Outdated systems: Local and frequently outdated government infrastructure creates vulnerabilities that hackers can take advantage of.
The Cost of Not Prioritizing Cybersecurity
A successful cyberattack can have devastating effects on people, businesses, and the surrounding community. Unfortunately, there may be several consequences.
Economic losses: ransomware attacks have the power to completely shut down businesses and force governments to spend large amounts of money to unlock encrypted data. According to a recent report by Sophos, 34% of local government entities reported paying the ransom to recover their encrypted data and resume operations, with 28% of these institutions reporting paying more than $1 million.
Services that are disrupted: Essential services including transportation, water, and emergency response may be jeopardized, endangering everyday life and public safety. Pennsylvania and Bucks County were dealing with a cyberattack last week that brought down emergency dispatch and 911 systems.
Negative image damage: The public image and reputation of the government can be severely damaged by negative media coverage and popular uproar.
Erosion of trust: Cybersecurity breaches have the potential to undermine public confidence in the government’s ability to safeguard sensitive information, exposing citizens to scepticism and disengagement. Due to the potential legal ramifications, local governments have been less willing to divulge information regarding cyberattacks, which could foster mistrust.
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Common Tactics Used in Cyberattacks on Local Governments
Cybercriminals utilize an array of strategies to obtain entry to government systems and information. Among the most popular techniques are:
Unpatched systems: One of the most common methods used by malevolent hackers to gain access to local government systems is via taking advantage of vulnerabilities. This was noted as the “most common root” in the Sophos investigation.
Phishing emails: Another tried-and-true method used to get access to a government agency was the use of deceptive emails intended to fool employees into clicking on dangerous links or opening attachments.
Manipulating authorities or employees through social engineering to reveal information that could allow malevolent attackers to obtain unauthorized access is known as social engineering. Anything from children’s names to Favorite colours that may be a part of an employee’s password or authentication “secrets” can fall under this category.
compromised fundamentals Passwords from both personal and professional accounts are still often reused. For this reason, hostile hackers have found that mapping that data to local government officials and trying to log in to government systems using passwords from other websites is a reasonably successful technique when other companies or websites are compromised, and login credentials are stolen or sold on the dark web.
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Taking Action: 5 Tips for Improved Cybersecurity
Although the threat posed by cyberattacks may seem daunting, there are steps that local government officials can take to bolster their defenses:
Assess cyber security: Identify security flaws in your systems and data security procedures by conducting a thorough assessment. Make sure vulnerability assessments are conducted regularly rather than just once or twice a year.
Upgrade the firmware and systems: Patch and update software and systems on a regular basis to address known vulnerabilities. On Patch Tuesday, Microsoft releases patches once a month; other vendors regularly release detailed patch information. Local government agencies should strive to patch updated software and systems within a few days of release, or sooner if a serious vulnerability exists.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) that is implicit This increases security by requiring a second verification step in addition to a password.
Train Staff: Instruct your employees on the best practices for cybersecurity, such as password hygiene and phishing awareness.
Create a plan for the incident response of cybersecurity: Plan for effectively mitigating damage in the event of a cyberattack.
Investing in cybersecurity like rmm tools is a must, not only a choice. Local government executives can safeguard sensitive information, defend their communities, and ensure the continuous smooth operation of key services by placing a high priority on cybersecurity. Remember that taking preventative measures to ensure computer security is significantly less disruptive and far more cost-effective than reacting to an extensive attack.
