https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

State & Local Government


Partner content

Cybercriminals carried out a record number of ransomware attacks last year; experts expect more in 2022

Cybercriminals carried out a record number of ransomware attacks last year; experts expect more in 2022

  • Written by Andy Castillo / American City & County
  • 10th February 2022

It might be a different year, but old threats linger—especially in cyberspace.  An advisory covering the current cyberthreat situation issued by federal agencies and international partners Wednesday outlines a growing threat posed by ransomware that’s expected to continue through 2022. 

“Cybercriminals are increasingly gaining access to networks via phishing, stolen remote desktop protocols, credentials or brute force, and exploiting software vulnerabilities,” the advisory says. Over the last year, especially, “The market for ransomware became increasingly ‘professional’ and there has been an increase in cybercriminal services-for-hire.”

With this expansion of cybercrime into more of an enterprising space, the advisory notes that ransomware groups have begun sharing victim information with each other, including victims’ network access information. They’re also diversifying extortion methods to get around defenses and evolving their practices to best exploit vulnerabilities, such as by targeting public organizations on holidays and weekends. 

And from local school districts to vital infrastructure vendors, cybercriminals have broadened their targets. The advisory highlights that nearly every aspect of the nation’s critical infrastructure was digitally attacked in some way last year, including the emergency services sector, food and agriculture, and government facilities. 

“We live at a time when every government … must focus on the threat of ransomware and take action to mitigate the risk of becoming a victim,” said Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in a statement. CISA, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Security Agency (NSA) and several international organizations including Australia and the United Kingdom collaborated on the advisory. “While we have taken strides over the past year to increase awareness of the threat, we know there is more work to be done to build collective resilience.” 

While action has been taken by federal agencies to make local governments aware of the threat, more education is needed, Easterly said, urging “organizations to review this advisory,” and “take action to strengthen their cybersecurity posture, and report unusual network activity or cyber incidents to government authorities.” 

To read the complete article, visit American City & County.

 

Tags: Applications Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity DHS Enterprise Federal Government/Military Funding Incident Command/Situational Awareness News Public Safety Security Software State & Local Government System Operation Tracking, Monitoring & Control Partner content

Most Recent


  • Cisco drops $28 billion on Splunk acquisition
    Cisco plans to bring on data mining and cybersecurity company Splunk for $28 billion, according to an announcement today. This is Cisco’s largest-ever acquisition and the latest in a string of cybersecurity-related acquisitions, according to CNBC. Splunk monitors and analyzes enterprise customer data to reduce the threat of security breaches and remediate threats. Cisco said the acquisition […]
  • FAA approves Zipline drones for long-distance deliveries
    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved another company to fly delivery drones longer distances without visual observers.  Zipline International received FAA approval to deliver commercial packages in Salt Lake City, Utah and Bentonville, Arkansas beyond visual line of sight.  Zipline’s Sparrow drone will release the packages using a parachute. Known as Zips, the drones […]
  • Generative AI's masters are coming for your network
    “Copilot” is suddenly a popular word to humanize “generative” artificial intelligence, the incarnation that has sparked new fears about job losses and murderous robots. It was almost a standard response to questions about genAI’s potential impact on the workforce at this year’s Digital Transformation World (DTW) event in Copenhagen. Microsoft’s code-writing genAI is even called […]
  • UK Home Office targets ESN system buildout finish by 2024 year end, Lot 2 award next year
    United Kingdom (UK) Home Office officials believe most of the cell sites—also known as masts—necessary for the Emergency Service Network (ESN) will be completed by the end of the next year, according to a report filed with a Parliament committee. This ESN coverage projection was noted in the system progress update provided in response to […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Could a solar storm bring down the Internet?
  • BlackBerry seeks to restore its past glory with services push
  • NWCC: David Smith, Mark Crosby explain reasons behind organization's name change
  • FirstNet's CEO on 5G, priorities in 2022 and what's next

Commentary


Better technology can help solve the public-safety staffing crisis

26th June 2023

Updated: How ‘sidelink’ peer-to-peer communications can enhance public-safety operations

  • 1
27th February 2023

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

24th February 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.