Cyberattacks have become an unfortunate reality impacting government institutions and mega corporations alike. However, a notable disparity emerges when we compare the frequency with which the U.S. government reports breaches compared to major companies. One significant factor contributing to this difference is the obligation of disclosure for the government. When a government entity is hacked, it has an obligation to announce the breach promptly, where some companies may choose not to report certain breaches to support their reputation, or they may not face the same level of public scrutiny as government agencies.
Further, governmental agencies are more vulnerable to attacks for a few reasons, including organizational structure and resources, use of legacy technology, point solutions and fragmented security approaches, and the pervasiveness of cyber threats. To address this issue the government agencies can take many steps to strengthen their resilience against attacks, such as modernizing legacy systems, emphasizing cybersecurity awareness and training, implementing comprehensive security measures, and promoting collaboration and information sharing.
