• Support
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Support
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Blog
SecurityScorecard SecurityScorecard
  • Products
    PRODUCTS
    • Security Ratings
      Identify security strengths across ten risk factors.
    • Security Data
      Get actionable, data-based insights.
    • Security Assessments
      Automate security questionnaire exchange.
    • Attack Surface Intelligence
      NEW
      On-demand contextualized global threat intelligence.
    • Automatic Vendor Detection
      Uncover your third and fourth party vendors.
    • Cyber Risk Quantification
      Translate cyber risk into financial impact.
    • Reporting Center
      Streamline cyber risk reporting.
    • SecurityScorecard Marketplace
      Discover and deploy pre-built integrations.
    SERVICES
    • Active Security Services
      Test your security controls.
    • Cyber Risk Intelligence
      Partner to obtain meaningful threat intelligence.
    • Digital Forensics & Incident Response
      Prepare to respond to any threat.
    • Third-Party Risk Management
      Reduce risk across your vendor ecosystem.
    BUY NOW
    • Compare All Plans
      Choose a plan that's right for your business.
    • Try Free Account
      Make informed decisions with confidence.
    • Buy Pro Now
      Add automated event responses.
    • Buy Business Now
      Expand on Pro with vendor management and integrations.
    • Request Enterprise Demo
      See the capabilities of an enterprise plan in action.
    icon__SSClogoMark icon__SSClogoMark

    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.

    Free account sign up
  • Solutions
    BY USE CASE
    • Compliance
    • Cyber Insurance
    • Digital Forensics
    • Due Diligence
    • Enterprise Cyber Risk
    • Executive-Level Reporting
    • Incident Response
    • Regulatory Oversight
    • Third-Party Risk
    BY INDUSTRY
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Financial Services
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Insurance
    • Retail & Consumer
    • Technology
    Help your organization calculate its risk
    View All Solutions
  • Customers
    OUR CUSTOMERS
    • Customer Overview
      Trusted by companies of all industries and sizes.
    • Peer Reviews
      Find out what our customers are saying.
    SUCCESS AND SUPPORT
    • Customer Success
      Receive award-winning customer service.
    • Support
      Get your questions answered by our experts.
    COMMUNITY
    • SecurityScorecard Connect
      Engage in fun, educational, and rewarding activities.
    • Connect Login
      Join our exclusive online customer community.
    icon__SSClogoMark icon__SSClogoMark
    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.
    Free account sign up
  • Partners

    Partner Program Overview

    Partner with SecurityScorecard and leverage our global cybersecurity ratings leadership to expand your solution, deliver more value, and win new business.

    Learn more
    • Locate a Partner
      Access our industry-leading partner network.
    • Value-Added Resellers
      Enter new markets, deliver more value, and get rewarded.
    • Managed Service Providers
      Meet customer needs with cybersecurity ratings.
    • ISAC Partner Program
      Learn more about the industries we support and ISAC member benefits.
    • Technology Alliances
      Access innovative solutions from leading providers.
    • SCORE Portal Login
      Use the SCORE Partner Program to grow your business.
    • SecurityScorecard Marketplace
      Find a trusted solution that extends your SecurityScorecard experience.

    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.

    Free account sign up
  • Resources
    RESOURCES
    • Resource Center
      Explore our cybersecurity ebooks, data sheets, webinars, and more.
    • SecurityScorecard Blog
      Read the latest blog posts published weekly.
    • Research & Insights Center
      Access our research on the latest industry trends and sector developments.
    • SecurityScorecard Academy
      NEW
      Complete certification courses and earn industry-recognized badges.
    TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION
    • Free Security Rating
      Get your free ratings report with customized security score.
    • Product Release Notes
      Visit our support portal for the latest release notes.
    • Free Account Signup
      Start monitoring your cybersecurity posture today.
    • Chrome Extension
      NEW
      Show the security rating of websites you visit.
    • Assessments ROI Calculator
      Calculate the ROI of automating questionnaires.
    Trust begins with transparency. Take a look at the data that drives our ratings.
    Learn more
  • Company

    Working at SecurityScorecard

    Committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and collaboration–and having fun while doing it.

    Join our team
    • About Us
      SecurityScorecard is the global leader in cybersecurity ratings.
    • Leadership
      Meet the team that is making the world a safer place.
    • Press
      Explore our most recent press releases and coverage.
    • Events
      Join us at any of these upcoming industry events.
    • Policy Insights
      Raising the bar on cybersecurity with security ratings.
    • Careers
      APPLY TODAY
      Come join the SecurityScorecard team!
    • Contact Us
      Contact us with any questions, concerns, or thoughts.
    • Trust Portal
      Take an inside look at the data that drives our technology.
    • Help Center
      We are here to help with any questions or difficulties.
Request a demo
SecurityScorecard SecurityScorecard
  • Support
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Support
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Blog
SecurityScorecard SecurityScorecard
  • Products
    PRODUCTS
    • Security Ratings
      Identify security strengths across ten risk factors.
    • Security Data
      Get actionable, data-based insights.
    • Security Assessments
      Automate security questionnaire exchange.
    • Attack Surface Intelligence
      NEW
      On-demand contextualized global threat intelligence.
    • Automatic Vendor Detection
      Uncover your third and fourth party vendors.
    • Cyber Risk Quantification
      Translate cyber risk into financial impact.
    • Reporting Center
      Streamline cyber risk reporting.
    • SecurityScorecard Marketplace
      Discover and deploy pre-built integrations.
    SERVICES
    • Active Security Services
      Test your security controls.
    • Cyber Risk Intelligence
      Partner to obtain meaningful threat intelligence.
    • Digital Forensics & Incident Response
      Prepare to respond to any threat.
    • Third-Party Risk Management
      Reduce risk across your vendor ecosystem.
    BUY NOW
    • Compare All Plans
      Choose a plan that's right for your business.
    • Try Free Account
      Make informed decisions with confidence.
    • Buy Pro Now
      Add automated event responses.
    • Buy Business Now
      Expand on Pro with vendor management and integrations.
    • Request Enterprise Demo
      See the capabilities of an enterprise plan in action.
    icon__SSClogoMark icon__SSClogoMark

    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.

    Free account sign up
  • Solutions
    BY USE CASE
    • Compliance
    • Cyber Insurance
    • Digital Forensics
    • Due Diligence
    • Enterprise Cyber Risk
    • Executive-Level Reporting
    • Incident Response
    • Regulatory Oversight
    • Third-Party Risk
    BY INDUSTRY
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Financial Services
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Insurance
    • Retail & Consumer
    • Technology
    Help your organization calculate its risk
    View All Solutions
  • Customers
    OUR CUSTOMERS
    • Customer Overview
      Trusted by companies of all industries and sizes.
    • Peer Reviews
      Find out what our customers are saying.
    SUCCESS AND SUPPORT
    • Customer Success
      Receive award-winning customer service.
    • Support
      Get your questions answered by our experts.
    COMMUNITY
    • SecurityScorecard Connect
      Engage in fun, educational, and rewarding activities.
    • Connect Login
      Join our exclusive online customer community.
    icon__SSClogoMark icon__SSClogoMark
    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.
    Free account sign up
  • Partners

    Partner Program Overview

    Partner with SecurityScorecard and leverage our global cybersecurity ratings leadership to expand your solution, deliver more value, and win new business.

    Learn more
    • Locate a Partner
      Access our industry-leading partner network.
    • Value-Added Resellers
      Enter new markets, deliver more value, and get rewarded.
    • Managed Service Providers
      Meet customer needs with cybersecurity ratings.
    • ISAC Partner Program
      Learn more about the industries we support and ISAC member benefits.
    • Technology Alliances
      Access innovative solutions from leading providers.
    • SCORE Portal Login
      Use the SCORE Partner Program to grow your business.
    • SecurityScorecard Marketplace
      Find a trusted solution that extends your SecurityScorecard experience.

    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.

    Free account sign up
  • Resources
    RESOURCES
    • Resource Center
      Explore our cybersecurity ebooks, data sheets, webinars, and more.
    • SecurityScorecard Blog
      Read the latest blog posts published weekly.
    • Research & Insights Center
      Access our research on the latest industry trends and sector developments.
    • SecurityScorecard Academy
      NEW
      Complete certification courses and earn industry-recognized badges.
    TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION
    • Free Security Rating
      Get your free ratings report with customized security score.
    • Product Release Notes
      Visit our support portal for the latest release notes.
    • Free Account Signup
      Start monitoring your cybersecurity posture today.
    • Chrome Extension
      NEW
      Show the security rating of websites you visit.
    • Assessments ROI Calculator
      Calculate the ROI of automating questionnaires.
    Trust begins with transparency. Take a look at the data that drives our ratings.
    Learn more
  • Company

    Working at SecurityScorecard

    Committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and collaboration–and having fun while doing it.

    Join our team
    • About Us
      SecurityScorecard is the global leader in cybersecurity ratings.
    • Leadership
      Meet the team that is making the world a safer place.
    • Press
      Explore our most recent press releases and coverage.
    • Events
      Join us at any of these upcoming industry events.
    • Policy Insights
      Raising the bar on cybersecurity with security ratings.
    • Careers
      APPLY TODAY
      Come join the SecurityScorecard team!
    • Contact Us
      Contact us with any questions, concerns, or thoughts.
    • Trust Portal
      Take an inside look at the data that drives our technology.
    • Help Center
      We are here to help with any questions or difficulties.
Request a demo
SecurityScorecard SecurityScorecard
BLOG

Municipal Cybersecurity Plan: Top 5 Factors to Incorporate

05/10/2022

Cyber attacks on state and local governments continue to be on the rise. With more attacks targeting municipalities, there needs to be a push toward boosting cyber preparedness.

Even though the risks remain at an all-time high for municipalities, the lack of budget and knowledge has caused officials to put cybersecurity on the back burner. We’ve defined critical elements necessary for a municipal cybersecurity plan to help local governments reduce the risk of a breach, protect constituent information, and better allocate IT resources.

Let’s dive in.

Why are municipalities enticing targets for cybercriminals?

In addition to being a vault for sensitive data (tax information, voter records, etc.), local governments often have outdated technology that is needed to secure networks and systems – making them ‘easy rewards’ for cybercriminals. Smaller municipal governments have limited resources to combat technology challenges that are not direct threats. As a result, municipalities generally have weaker security measures making them the ideal target for criminals to exploit.

Without a doubt, the most common cyber threat faced by municipalities today is ransomware attacks. In 2020, 44% of these global ransomware attacks targeted municipalities – where local governments were denied access to files, computers, and critical systems until a ransom was paid. Nowadays, brute force attacks and credential stuffing have become more popular means for distributing ransomware to vulnerable targets.

5 Elements to include in your municipal cybersecurity plan

Cybercriminals are becoming more adaptable and persistent in this high-risk environment. For that reason, municipal leaders need to be well-prepared and proactive in detecting vulnerabilities, monitoring risks, and educating employees on cybersecurity. A robust municipal cybersecurity plan can help streamline these efforts, so let’s take a look at the top elements you need to incorporate.

Attack surface monitoring

As municipalities grow and adopt new capabilities, their digital footprint continues to expand – but so does their attack surface. The expansion of their surface may make it difficult to monitor and mitigate potential risks hidden across digital assets.

By incorporating attack surface monitoring into the cybersecurity plan, security teams can have greater visibility into their cities’ digital footprint – allowing them to identify each asset, its location, and the potential risks associated with it. That way, leaders can allocate appropriate IT resources where needed and prioritize remediation efforts most critical to the municipality.

Continuous monitoring

One of the most critical aspects of cybersecurity is speed — more specifically, the time to respond is essential in minimizing the impact of cyber attacks. The faster you can detect and respond to threats, the lower the risk for serious damage that takes years to remediate. With municipalities’ digital environment expanding, it’s becoming even more difficult to manage cybersecurity monitoring manually.

Leveraging a continuing monitoring tool like security ratings can help municipalities stay one step ahead of hackers and respond to threats more efficiently, enhancing your overall security posture. In addition, security ratings can be advantageous for municipalities with distributed security programs from city halls to police departments to public schools. Essentially, continuous monitoring powered by security ratings makes it easier for municipalities to measure the effectiveness of their cybersecurity efforts.

Cybersecurity performance benchmarks

Another element municipalities can include in their cybersecurity plan is to benchmark their performance against other cities. In doing so, municipalities better understand how other cities are performing, and exactly where the gaps in their cybersecurity program are that need to be improved. From there, municipalities can build improvement plans, accurately track operations, and even advocate for more security resources!

Third-party risk assessment and management

Municipalities work with third parties that need access to their systems and data. This can be a problem in itself since cybercriminals target third-party providers to access their clients’ data and networks, such as the infamous SolarWinds breach in 2020. After all, municipalities usually don’t have the same kind of control over third parties as they do their own – introducing a new host of vulnerabilities.

Incorporating a robust third-party risk assessment and management process in the plan is needed to gain better visibility, minimize the impact in case of a breach, and improve overall security posture. You need to continually monitor how accurately third-party risk assessments are evaluating vendor risk in order for it to be effective. On the other hand, a vigorous risk management process can systematically detect, assess, and mitigate threats to assets caused by third parties.

Updated security policies and guidelines

In this day and age, municipal officials and employees are starting to work outside the traditional network perimeter – it’s become the norm! That said, municipalities must take into consideration remote and home-based access and update their security policies and guidelines accordingly. These guidelines can include strengthening firewalls, reinforcing VPN policies, educating employees about network security in their own homes, and having security teams tighten up security around personal devices.

How SecurityScorecard can help

These highly-targeted cyber attacks will continue to prove a daunting challenge to many small towns and municipalities across the globe. Municipalities are directing vital services, handling critical infrastructure, and responding to the needs of constituents daily. In other words, municipalities act as external storehouses of private data that are necessary to the daily operation of cities and towns – making them enticing targets for cybercriminals.

The first step municipal leaders need to take is to develop a vigorous cybersecurity plan to become better prepared against threat actors. By leveraging SecurityScorecard Security Ratings, local governments gain better visibility into the health of the cyber ecosystem, as well as monitor the health of the entire sector. Interested in knowing how well your security posture is performing? Get your free score today.

As attack surfaces grow and change, it’s critical that you have insight into yours — and that means knowing the attack surface of your third parties as well. Request a demo of SecurityScorecard’s Attack Surface Intelligence tool to better see your attack surface, and when you can see it, you can better protect it.




Return to Blog
Join us in making the world a safer place.
FREE ACCOUNT SIGN UP
Products
Solutions
Customers
Marketplace
Partners
Resources
Company
Trust Portal
Security Ratings
Login
Blog
Contact
Careers

SecurityScorecard
Tower 49
12 E 49th St
Suite 15-100
New York, NY 10017

[email protected]

United States: (800) 682-1701
International: +1(646) 809-2166
Social-linkedin Social-facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube