IT and facilities departments both can #BeCyberSmart

The headlines appear nearly every day — local governments across the country are becoming victims of cybercrime. The reality of modern, connected government means that sensitive data, information and infrastructure are targets for cyber-attack. This reality can seem scary and overwhelming, and something that's best left to the experts in your IT department to handle. IT departments certainly play a key role, but did you know that cybersecurity is actually the responsibility of everyone who works for a local government?

The Center for Government Innovation has developed two new cybersecurity resources to help local government professionals in IT departments but also in facilities departments as well. These resources provide guidance that is easy to understand and use.

Each resource consists of three main areas of emphasis and will help you understand and begin to address the challenges of cybersecurity. You can see the Facilities and IT documents on our #BeCyberSmart webpage.

On that page, we now have resources for every major “role” someone might have in a local government: Leadership, HR, Finance, Legal, IT and Facilities. If you'd like to understand at a glance the top three cybersecurity considerations for each staff role at a local government, we have a simple one-page handout that explains them. Interested to dive into the details of the top three cybersecurity considerations for each? We have a detailed document for every role packed with best practices, considerations and actionable resources for your local government. Look for the brand-new resources for Finance & Administration, Legal & Compliance, IT, and Facilities professionals now available on the #BeCyberSmart webpage.

We're not finished yet, though. Just as the cybersecurity realm continues to evolve in response to the ever-changing cyber landscape, so too will we continue to develop resources designed to inform, not overwhelm, non-IT experts. We understand that you have limited time and resources, and we want to make it easy for you to begin addressing cybersecurity head-on.

If you'd like to talk more about cybersecurity and how you can help your organization, please contact the Center at Center@sao.wa.gov.