(The Center Square) – Government agencies are facing a growing number of cyberattacks.
The Center for Internet Security reported dramatic increases in both malware and ransomware attacks against government in the first eight months of 2023 compared with the same period in 2022.
James Carafano, senior counselor to the president at the Heritage Foundation, emphasized the importance of preparing for cyber threats.
“The effort you put up front to mitigate some of the threats that you might face is infinitely cheaper in the long run than dealing with the crisis after the crisis occurs,” Carafano said.
Bernard Malkov, IT operations manager for the Lake County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office, said updated equipment and training are both important.
“From security awareness training, constant education, making sure our users are being vigilant when clicking on links, stuff like that. It’s a combination of things,” Malkov said.
The Center for Internet Security found that cyberattacks against state and local governments increased dramatically last year. The nonprofit group reported that malware attacks jumped 148% in the first eight months of 2023 compared with the same period in 2022. The number of ransomware attacks increased 51%.