To meet National Cybersecurity Strategy goals, look to the private sector

Last month, President Biden released a National Cybersecurity Strategy that recognizes the role state and local governments play in protecting critical infrastructure and the constituents that depend on these services. Together, state and local governments can meet the goals of this strategy through partnerships with the private sector that draw on the latest technologies and expertise available to the market.

This strategy could not have come at a better time. State and local governments are tasked with facilitating an array of important constituent services—from approving business licenses, to auditing health systems and distributing financial aid. At each juncture, sensitive constituent data must be protected from bad actors.

While state and local governments are less likely to be targeted with ransomware attacks than private companies, a recent report found that attacks are on the rise. The reality is, local government agencies are at considerable risk of cyberattacks like phishing efforts, malware and ransomware. These agencies are ripe targets for numerous reasons—they frequently lack sophisticated levels of protection beyond managed firewall services, and they deal in considerable amounts of valuable personal data. While threat levels rise, the vulnerability of local governments also rise in part because of the migration to the cloud as well as the shift to remote work as a result of the pandemic.

What’s more, many local governments do not have substantive in-house tech expertise, and finding security experts for hire is growing more difficult as the industry experiences a cybersecurity talent shortage. Increasingly complex networks and cloud operations render entry-level solutions like simple software, or even some outsourced tech support, insufficient to protect government networks. Compounding these challenges is cost, which is always a crucial factor as state agencies face reduced budgets year after year.

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