Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity threats are not theoretical. These threats are real and they cannot be ignored.
Breaches are happening right here in New York. Hackers are trying to access your systems right now, as you are reading this Primer. They are sending emails to county employees, they are looking for vulnerabilities in your website, and they are looking for ways into your databases. They want to disrupt your work, destroy your systems, exploit your data, and hold it ransom for payment.
In response to these threats, county leaders asked NYSAC to devote resources to help counties better understand cybersecurity, the threats posed by hackers, and tools and processes for being better prepared to manage the risks facing critical information systems and data.
NYSAC worked with the Center for Technology in Government at the University at Albany to establish a statewide advisory panel of state and local IT experts to develop the attached Cybersecurity Primer for County Leaders. We have also held workshops and webinars and established a new NYSAC IT Task Force, which will meet at each of our NYSAC conferences.
Resources
Reports
Additional Reports
Workshops & Webinars
Cybersecurity Webinar Series
Co-sponsored by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM), the Association of Towns (AOT), the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR), and the Center for Technology in Government (CTG).
NYSAC is partnering with NYCOM, AOT, NYMIR, and CTG to provide a series of webinars this fall on the challenges and opportunities of strengthening local government’s cybersecurity awareness and preparedness.
Upcoming:
Boost your Cyber Defenses with Awareness Training: Watch out for Holiday Scams (Hosted by NYMIR)
November 30, 2022, 11:00 am
Social engineering is the biggest cybersecurity threat, and involves the human factor. Your municipality should view Cyber Awareness training seriously and encourage participation. There's a common misconception that only non-technical or naïve individuals would fall victim to social engineering and phishing scams.
CYBER awareness training educates employees on how to identify the various tactics and signs of social engineering. Since the attacks continue to evolve, ongoing training for your employees is crucial to keep them aware of the latest social engineering ploys. Keeping ahead of holiday phishing threats makes this webinar a must!
Past Webinars
The 101: Multi-factor Authentication. Unpacked.
Why Cybersecurity Insurance is so Costly and Sometimes Hard to Get
Cyber Awareness Training—The Implications of Social Engineering
September 15, 2022
Recording Not Available
How to Rightsize your Cybersecurity Strategy to your IT Resources
September 28, 2022
Recording Available at What's Your T-Shirt Size? How to Rightsize Your Cybersecurity Strategy to Your IT Resources (naco.org)
Cybersecurity Resiliency and Risk Governance
November 10, 2022
Protecting New York's Election Systems
October 19, 2022
Addional Past Webinars
- Backup to Recovery A Critical Cybersecurity Tool When Ransomware Impacts Counties - Video
- Safeguarding County Information Systems, Data and Services - Video
NYSAC IT Task Force
The NYSAC IT Task Force that will serve as an advisory group to discuss major information technology (IT) and data issues that impact the operations and governance of counties, such as cybersecurity preparedness, procurement, and related county activities and state legislative proposals.
The taskforce is designed to include a range of county officials that work directly and indirectly with IT, data, and security, including county IT directors, county board members, administrators, DSS commissioners, county clerks, emergency managers, planners, election commissioners, clerks of the boards, as well as any other county officials interested in participating on the committee.
The mission of the IT Taskforce will be to work cooperatively to provide advice, strategic direction, collaboration, and insights for the safe, secure, and effective use of information technology in counties (and all governments) across New York State.)