Washington’s state and local governments possess countless IT systems that provide critical government services and handle vital and sometimes very personal data. The public expects government to do all it can to ensure that these systems are secure to ensure services are not interrupted, and stored data is not lost, stolen or damaged.
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The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in increased dependence on technology and electronic payment networks. This shift has created new opportunities for bad actors to steal public resources and assets from your government.
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Working from home has many benefits, but it also brings additional risks because remote workers are more vulnerable to cybercrime than those who work in the office. SAO shares tips to help work-from-home employees keep households safe and secure from cyber threats.
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Keeping information safe and secure isn’t a new challenge for governments, but the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced governments to quickly shift to online or hybrid workplaces, has made the job tougher. If you haven’t had time to update your cybersecurity policies in light of the shift to remote and hybrid work, we offer four steps you can take now to better protect your government against cyberattacks.
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While breaches at large companies often dominate the headlines, cybercriminals are also hacking local and state governments, public and private universities, and school districts. We’ve put together some helpful information on what data breaches are and the steps you should take if you suspect or know you have experienced one.
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When it comes to thwarting cybercrime, everyone in your government has a role to play. Here are a few key best practices that you and your employees can implement today to protect your government.
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Whether you work for a local government that provides frontline emergency services or an agency that handles sensitive information like personal or financial records, you have an important role in cybersecurity.
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Fraudsters can impersonate your employees and vendors to redirect Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments meant for payroll direct deposits or vendor payments. You need to stay vigilant and ensure your government has strong internal controls. To help you, SAO has developed a new guide that offers advice on developing ACH payment process policies and employee training, establishing a verification process, and monitoring for unauthorized payee account changes.
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Cyberattack warnings can leave small local governments stressed and overwhelmed as they try to balance the need for increased cybersecurity and finding funds to pay for it. What you may not know is that help is available to your government at little to no cost, and you can get started today! We’ve identified three important steps you can take to defend your government against cybercrime.
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This weekend marks the start of daylight saving time, and we all know the drill: Change your clock and the batteries in your smoke alarms. But how often are you testing your government’s backup file system? With the rapid rise in phishing and ransomware schemes, the biannual time change can also serve as a handy reminder to perform this critical task.
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