CyberSecurity

The cybersecurity mantra of “know what you have” means you must have a comprehensive inventory of assets before you’re able to protect them. The same saying could apply to cybersecurity resources in Washington—local governments need to know what’s available before they can use these free or low-cost services. In this article, the State Auditor’s Office has created a brief overview of some Washington-specific cyber services, including services from our own Office.

The Office of the Washington State Auditor launched the Cyber Checkup program in 2023, and one common result we found is that many local governments either lack key information technology (IT) policies or need to improve the ones they have. 

Introduction

Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated. Small and medium-sized organizations want to strengthen their cybersecurity posture, but many lack the necessary tools, time or guidance. The 2026 Small Business Cybersecurity Awareness & Practices Survey, conducted by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), surveyed 1,000 business leaders.

Technology is critical to providing public services, and audits from the State Auditor’s Office have become essential elements in overall government cybersecurity in the Evergreen state. Our Office developed a short overview of our work in cybersecurity in fiscal year 2026. 

Here in Washington, local leaders go by many names – Councilmember, Commissioner, Mayor and many more. Regardless of your title or the size of your local government, leadership plays a key role in ensuring your government’s cybersecurity success. Fortunately, our Center for Government Innovation has updated its cybersecurity guide for Washington’s leaders.

Originally published October 7, 2025

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. 

Originally published September 4, 2024

June 27, 2025

This blog post was originally published in September 2024. We've recently updated the It Starts with Policy Guide for the 2025 reporting year. You can find the new guide in SAO’s Resource Library. We've also updated the links in this post for your convenience.

What’s new?

We've added recommended policy guidance for AI use.

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A novel Washington program to help local governments quickly improve their cybersecurity was honored by the National State Auditors Association during its recent conference in Boise, Idaho. 

The Center for Government Innovation at the State Auditor’s Office is celebrating: its newest service, the cyber checkup, is one year old. These checkups provide a fast, no-cost, independent review of local government cybersecurity programs.