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    Municipalities Are Prime Candidates For Cyber Attacks

    City governments have become a major target for cyber criminals. A collection of citizen data and large funds are extremely enticing for hackers to exploit and steal. The amount of money in a breach and a lack of tight security have increased the number of cyber attacks against municipalities in the last few years. Both state and local governments must be aware of the attacks that can threaten the data of citizens and their families.

    City Cyber Attacks on the Rise

    New technological advances have created new ways for criminals to attack local governments. This has played a major role in the rise of state and local government-related cyber attacks, as municipalities have become more reliant on computer-based practices to carry out daily tasks or store large amounts of data. One of the most commonly seen attacks in the municipality sector are ransomware attacks. These are malicious encounters with hackers who breach the network, steal data, lock it down, and request a substantial amount of money in exchange for the data. While ransomware isn’t new, the way that hackers are using it to exploit local governments is schemed in unique ways that are hard to detect. 

    Why Municipalities are Popular Targets

    It can be easy to overlook how much data is collected by cities across the US. Various types of data are collected through everyday occurrences such as utility payments, moving violation tickets, or even something as simple as applying for a library card. All of the data that a city collects can be useful for criminals to make even more money. Hackers are oftentimes aware of the cities that have security flaws due to financial gaps in the security budget. Sometimes this is based on a lack of funds while other times it is due to lack of interest in dedicating sufficient funds to cybersecurity resources or training. 

    Municipalities must work together with other cities in their region when it comes to protecting data. Many times, hackers will target multiple municipalities in one region in hopes of at least one falling victim to the attack. Cities must communicate with other local governments so that they can be on guard for potential threats. Lack of communication can lead to a chain of attacks that can expand across multiple states. 

    ThreatAdvice Breach Prevention Platform

    Summary:

    City governments have become a major target for cyber criminals. A collection of citizen data and large funds are extremely enticing for hackers to exploit and steal. One of the most commonly seen attacks in the municipality sector are ransomware attacks. All the data that a city collects can be useful for criminals to make even more money. Hackers are oftentimes aware of the cities that have security flaws due to financial gaps in the security budget. Municipalities must work together with other cities in their region when it comes to protecting data. Cities have to communicate with other local governments so that they can be on guard for potential threats.