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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The State Auditor’s Office plays a unique role in keeping an independent eye on government IT security. We work with state and local governments to help improve their cybersecurity programs through audits and outreach activities. We’ve created a special report giving a short overview of our work and findings in the area of cybersecurity. It offers legislators, the public and government leaders information they need to help ensure our state’s critical IT systems and data remain protected.
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If you’re a smaller government without your own full-time information technology staff, you might find it challenging to stay on top of IT-related maintenance. Larger entities have entire departments dedicated to maintaining computer infrastructure, while you may be working with a part-time contractor or even volunteers to meet your IT needs. And that’s okay, but remember: having the latest security software, web browser and operating system on your devices is an important defense against cyberattacks.
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Some security breaches are required to be reported to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office (AGO), and sometimes you need to report various cybersecurity issues to the State Auditor’s Office, too! Of course, we hope you have none, but if you find yourself in this spot – here is some important information that can help you comply with law.
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As local government workers get accustomed to working from home, there are a couple things our information technology experts here at the State Auditor’s Office consider to be some especially risky areas. This blog post covers the highest risk areas.
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Often local governments cite lack of resources for why they cannot move forward with their cybersecurity program – but did you know there are many resources available at no cost to you?
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Becoming the victim of a cyber attack can spark feelings of panic and dread. But maybe if you were fortunate enough to know that this could happen to anyone, and know that your government planned for such an event – maybe you might feel a little less panicked in that moment.
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Ransomware is on the rise for governments as a whole. Here are five steps to help your government avoid falling prey to this crime.
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At work, staff come and go. However, if user access for a former employee does not get removed, that access could be exploited for undesirable purposes by a disgruntled employee, other staff, or even a hacker.
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Published: October 16, 2019
By the Center for Government Innovation
Estimated reading time: 1 minute
As a part of Cybersecurity Awareness month, the Center for Government Innovation at the Office of the Washington State Auditor has put together some important tips and advice for local governments on cybersecurity best practices. This one-page guide is quick and informative, with actionable items anyone who works for local government- from finance to HR, from leadership to IT—can take to reduce cyber risks and #BeCyberSmart.
