Small Town, USA: Fight back against cybercriminals targeting you

Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting small towns and local governments in the United States, posing a significant security threat to critical infrastructure and millions of Americans. Recent attacks on small municipalities have disrupted services, resulted in financial losses, and compromised sensitive data. Small towns are high-value targets due to their reliance on public services and limited resources for cybersecurity training. To combat these attacks, local governments can take several steps, including creating network diagrams and data maps, implementing privileged access management solutions, reviewing cyber insurance policies, and utilizing available resources like the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). State and local resources, such as the North Carolina Joint Cybersecurity Task Force and INFRAgard, can provide direct assistance and support to smaller government entities experiencing cyberattacks. Collaboration between industry and government is essential for building cyber resilience, as demonstrated by a voluntary task force in New York City. Urgent action is needed to protect the infrastructure and essential services that power and support the country, ensuring trust in public institutions at the local level.