Cybersecurity in Municipalities
Municipalities Are Under Siege: Safeguarding Critical Services and Resident Data
Municipalities are custodians of essential services and sensitive data, making them the most targeted public sector. Disruptions can erode trust, disrupt services, compromise data, and strain budgets with costly recovery. Cybersecurity is critical.
Did you know?
All municipalities are targets for cybercrime. Attackers actively exploit system vulnerabilities whenever and wherever they exist. With their access to valuable data and limited defenses, municipalities are particularly vulnerable to automated and relentless attacks. For example, in 2022, the small town of St Mary’s, ON (pop. 7265) was a victim of a cyber attack that cost them $1.3 million in recovery efforts. The number of cyber attacks reported to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario from municipal institutions more than doubled in 2023 compared to the previous year. This suggests a significant increase in incidents.
Enhancing cybersecurity strengthens resilience, protects infrastructure, ensures privacy, and enables swift attack responses. Ridegell Consulting can do that.
We optimize costs, strengthen security, and build resilience through assessments, training, and response planning.