Cybersecurity

Arizona police procedures exposed in massive policy database hack

Some agencies said they were unconcerned with the breach since the final documents are already publicly available.

Navigating the increasing government cybersecurity challenges in 2025 and beyond

COMMENTARY | Identity security, resiliency and a whole-of-state approach are just some of the ways agencies can steel themselves against the ever-increasing threat landscape.

A simple fix could stop millions in food stamp theft. Will New York commit?

Chip technology has been standard in credit and debit cards for a decade. They could stop New York’s surging rate of stolen benefits.

Kept in the dark: Inside a trio of Los Angeles school cyberattacks

A 74 investigative series: Meet the hired guns who make sure school cyberattacks stay hidden.

DEI controversy collides with state-level cyber workforce needs

Despite the federal government’s movement away from DEI practices, state agencies can still explore ways to broaden their cyber workforces to fill talent gaps.

DHS personnel descend on New Orleans to help secure Super Bowl LIX

CISA has already conducted physical and cybersecurity vulnerability assessments ahead of the Feb. 9 NFL championship game.

South Dakota opens bids in state-funded $7 million cybersecurity effort to protect local governments

South Dakota wants to hire a company to review local governments’ vulnerabilities to hackers.

Kept in the dark

Meet the hired guns who make sure school cyberattacks stay hidden.

China-linked fraud network exploits stolen Massachusetts identities to target U.S. banks

It’s not clear who exactly the Chinese operatives are, but the scheme has been ongoing and persistent, said Socure executive Jordan Burris.

Preparing for battle: Cybersecurity incident response for public bodies

COMMENTARY | It may feel impossible to plan for a cyberattack, but public sector organizations can take several steps now to protect themselves, both legally and through policy.

A challenging transition for new state CIOs

Several people are new to leading their state’s technology divisions and must navigate all manner of rules and laws while trying to make their own mark on the position.

School software provider is the latest target of major hack of personal data

The incident is the latest large-scale data breach in the U.S., as year after year, the number of cybercrimes continues to rise.

Exclusive

Coming federal cyber executive order includes a push to mobile drivers licenses

The draft order does not, however, tackle the full breadth of actions that were expected from a promised identity executive order that has yet to materialize.

Resilience over resources: Closing the cybersecurity gap in state and local government

COMMENTARY | While they may lack the budget and staff to mount an effective defense, states and localities can take many other steps without needing to spend more money.

Parents think schools’ cybersecurity is stronger than reality, report says

Recent research from Keeper Security found a “widening gap” between the perception of districts’ cyber readiness. Better training and information sharing can help improve the outlook.

How govs can strengthen their cyber staff in the new year

Budgetary and staffing challenges are likely to follow state and local governments into 2025, but experts say agencies’ progress toward addressing those obstacles will prevail too.

Governor urges Rhode Islanders to take precautions to protect personal data

Gov. Dan McKee called the deadline given by hackers who installed malicious malware on the RIBridges system and demanded a ransom a “moving target” at a press conference late Saturday afternoon.

Democrats push to protect the data privacy of people seeking abortions

In Congress, Sen. Elizabeth Warren plans to reintroduce legislation to ban data brokers from selling consumers’ health and location data. A similar effort is underway in Michigan.

Could states’ cyber get trickier under a Trump admin?

Some Republicans have proposed eliminating CISA altogether, which could complicate information sharing efforts. More pressing, though, is the ending of federal cyber grants.

Cyber training is key to help underserved communities, report finds

States must work to develop cybersecurity professionals in areas that have been left behind, and can use relationships with schools and nonprofits to do so, according to a new NASCIO report.