The enhanced connectivity and widespread application of modern communication technologies has opened the door to cyber-attacks and potential security breaches. These threats stress the importance of robust security measures for critical networks.
Ransomware and cybersecurity attacks are on the rise, with the latest attack last month hitting a global bank and affecting the U.S. Treasury market.
Public safety agencies and government entities are not immune to cybersecurity attacks. During the second quarter, the U.S. cities of Dallas, Texas; Oakland, California; and August, Georgia, were all targeted in ransomware attacks. In fact, cyberattacks against government agencies and public sector services increased 40% in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter, according to BlackBerry Cybersecurity’s second Quarterly Threat Intelligence Report.
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published several resources for emergency managers to plan for cyber incidents. The latest is the Planning Considerations for Cyber Incidents: Guidance for Emergency Managers released in November 2023. Published in conjunction with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the guide provides emergency managers across jurisdiction types with knowledge of incidents to increase cyber preparedness efforts. The guide can help support the development of a cyber incident response plan or annex.
FEMA has available additional resources for emergency managers with guidance on cyber incidents. The first is a fact sheet that summarizes the full guide. In addition, the Critical Cyber Asset Identification and Prioritization Checklist lays out a process for identifying and prioritizing a jurisdiction’s critical cyber assets as part of the planning process. The resources are a great starting point for emergency managers across public services and government agencies.
In addition, Tait Communications is available to help with your cyber incident preparation or response. Tait builds security into all its voice and data systems and serves as another resource for our customers’ cybersecurity requirements.
Learn more about Tait’s Secure Voice and Data Systems on our website.
Have a question or query? Contact us.
