Local governments should encourage their employees to understand and practice cyber security, as it is critical for every government body to protect its confidential data.
Fremont, CA: Hackers know that local governments are an easy and lucrative target since many municipalities still have unprotected, antiquated on-site servers and IT equipment. If that wasn't bad enough, a simple mistake like a government employee using a weak password or clicking on an email attachment could result in a catastrophic cyber breach.
There is a steady stream of cyberattacks on government networks, and the first line of defense is the local government personnel. As a result of the rise of the internet, even the tiniest municipalities, departments, and agencies can now be targeted by foreign opponents. In order to safeguard vital data and systems, government employees at all levels and across departments must obtain cyber security training and build suitable habits, knowledge, and compliance standards.
In the context of information security, security awareness training is the process of giving formal cybersecurity education to the government workforce on a variety of information security dangers as well as the government's policies and procedures for dealing with them.
Why do government workers need cyber security training?
Ransomware and malware can easily strike local governments with obsolete IT systems. Therefore, hackers will use email phishing scams, stolen passwords, or malware to infiltrate government personnel who are unprepared, stealing sensitive government data or locking down vital systems necessary for operations and services.
Any government official can make a foolish but potentially disastrous error by clicking on a bogus email or website link if they lack the necessary training. That's why it's so important for government employees to know how to prevent cyberattacks and to stay up to date on the latest developments in this area.
CISA (the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) is a federal agency that provides resources and services to state, local, and tribal governments at no cost. Local government leaders should create working relationships with CISA. Additionally, local governments should be prepared to notify any harmful cyber activity to their nearest FBI and Secret Service Field office, which will assist in elevating the situation to the appropriate authorities.
