Our daily life, economic vitality, and national security depend on a safe and stable cyberspace. That said, our nation’s very security and its underlying infrastructure are vulnerable to a wide range of risks stemming from a multitude of cybersecurity threats. Despite their seemingly lower profile, local governments and municipalities are especially vulnerable to such threats. These public entities face attack from bad actors like black hat hackers and nation-states looking to exploit network vulnerabilities to steal information and money. Read on as we detail the threats governments and public entities face and how to better prepare for them.
As today’s world becomes increasingly digitized, the cybersecurity conversation now pertains to every level of government and industry. The federal government and major corporations are sufficiently funded and have well-staffed security departments. Conversely, small businesses and local authorities such as cities and counties are often left to fend for themselves. These local governments and their under secured networks are viewed as treasure troves of information by many cybercriminals, which makes the task of securing them even more crucial.
Despite the looming danger of cyber crime, state and local authorities are not without recourses. Virginia Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson told attendees at last week’s 2017 RSA Conference in San Francisco that the major barrier for states undertaking these efforts is the budget. Secretary Jackson acknowledged that while the threats facing the public and private sectors are not dissimilar, private companies are only responsible for protecting its own networks and customers whereas state governments are responsible for many agencies that control massive amounts of personally identifiable information.
Local jurisdictions like counties and municipalities are also coming to grips with the growing cyber security threat. While you can’t expect a county courthouse or city water works to sufficiently respond to and successfully recover from a sophisticated cyber attack; security experts hope that increased security education and awareness on the part of public employees will go a long way in stifling outside threats.
In concert with increased employee awareness, a managed services provider can be a true partner in forging a better data security solution for any government entity that lacks the elaborate budget of a federal agency. MDL Technology specializes in such partnerships, having teamed up with the Raytown Police Department to virtualize the department’s network infrastructure, implement off-site backup storage, cut costs and power consumption and allow sensitive data to be securely housed with cloud services. The department’s Captain Doug Goode spoke to the strength of the partnership, saying:
“We’ve found MDL to be extremely customer oriented. The company’s technicians are very knowledgeable and both willing and able to do additional research when needed or requested. They are reliable, easily approachable, willing to discuss projects and advise on the feasibility and viability of new products and services. MDL has developed a strong trust with our department. It has an unblemished track record of satisfaction and customer service.”
If you’re looking to upgrade your agency’s data security solution, look no further than MDL Technology. We have proven experience in providing managed security solutions and understand both the latest threats and proactive steps needed to ensure that corrective action is taken in time. With the experts on your side, you can concentrate on the critical aspects of your office and leave security solutions to us.
