State and local governments need to bolster their cybersecurity defenses in order to weather the ransomware storm that is currently sweeping across the United States, four government organizations warned in a joint statement[pdf] released earlier this week.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO), the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) stated that the recent surge in ransomware attacks targeting government entities “highlights the critical importance of making cyber preparedness a priority and taking the necessary steps to secure our networks against adversaries.”
Since 2013, ransomware has struck almost 200 state and local governments across the country. The statement stresses that in order to mitigate this threat, “agencies must have a clear plan to address attacks when they occur, including when internal capabilities are overwhelmed.”
Read more: State and local governments urged to beef up ransomware defense
