How will your county mark National Cybersecurity Month this October? Perhaps a cybersecurity tuneup is just the ticket.
Counties have access to free assessments from the federal Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The tests include weekly vulnerability scanning, web application scanning and a remote penetration test that will evaluate your perimeter defenses through a simulated attack. Additionally, a phishing campaign assessment will measure the effectiveness of your county’s security awareness training efforts.
Evaluation reports will help identify where upgrades, new defenses or additional training are needed to keep your cybersecurity program in tiptop shape, just like a tuneup.
After completing a few forms, counties can begin CISA's cyber hygiene assessments within a week.
Maintaining good cyber hygiene can keep your network and data systems healthy and secure. Since your cyber defenses must be continuously evaluated and modified as necessary to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated attacks, there's no better time to get started.
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More Information
CICA Cyber Hygiene Services
www.cisa.gov/cyber-hygiene-services
To get started, email
vulnerability_info@cisa.dhs.gov
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Email tuneup
TAC's County Information Resources Agency (TAC CIRA) has also taken steps to increase security for its email customers.
TAC CIRA is transitioning to Microsoft Office 365 for email services, and upon migrating to one of the new plans, counties will have greater flexibility and security controls over their email. TAC CIRA staff have been migrating counties throughout 2021, and feedback has been very positive. The existing vendor service will be completely phased out in early 2022, so it's important for members to make arrangements to migrate to the new plans or transition to another provider. Contact TAC CIRA today at support@county.org.
Additionally, a new security protocol is now in place for TAC CIRA email support tickets. Counties were asked to designate three email administrators who will validate email requests prior to TAC CIRA support personnel completing the work. This move helps prevent data breaches and adds a vetted layer of security.
Cybersecurity month
Look for more cybersecurity resources and tips from TAC throughout October. Follow #BeCyberSmart on social media and use the hashtag before and during October to promote your involvement in raising cybersecurity awareness.
