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A recent survey by the Center for Digital Government showed that the top priority for city and county CIOs is Cyber Security, which ranks higher than Broadband & Connectivity, and Citizen Engagement.
While I am pleased to know that most local CIOs are focused on the issue of cyber security, it does surprise me that it is at the top of the list, even higher than Broadband. The reason for my surprise is that we often hear politicians at the state and local levels talk about the need for broadband but rarely about cyber security.
Why might that be? I expect it is because the politicians – or maybe they believe their constituents – don’t understand the importance of cyber security or the threat of cyber crime.
Each year, Government Technology Magazine rates each state’s governor in the “State of the State,” based on their mention of technology. The ratings go from 0 to 5, with 0 representing no mention of technology and 5 representing a speech describing a robust technology plan. Of the 32 state governors that have already given their 2022 addresses, none have scored a 4 or 5, and only four have scored a 3 (Hawaii, Michigan, and our neighboring states of Indiana and Tennessee). Eight states have scored a 2, and the rest have scored a 1. Kentucky scored 1. Only five of the addresses mentioned cyber security. While shocking, it is in no way surprising. It is precisely what I would expect.
Much like the misperception that I see when talking with clients about cyber security, people often believe erroneously that Information Technology (IT) and Cyber Security are the same thing. In basic terms, IT encompasses everything that makes your operations run more efficiently – automating communications, data management, customer relations, internet access, WiFi, printing, etc. Cyber Security, on the other hand, protects those systems to ensure your operations continue to function.
Given the confusion and blurred lines between the two, a governor who touts expanding broadband (more widely accepted as a ‘basic human right’) might not understand or find it essential to address the need to put resources into cyber security. Providing internet access to a rural area is a positive action. However, funding cyber security programs maintains that access and keeps it from going down. People often don’t appreciate the importance of an air bag until they are in an accident and they don’t die.
While it is essential to improve the lives of the citizens of a state, it is also vital to protect those citizens from crime, even cyber crime.
At Commonwealth Sentinel, we can evaluate your existing IT security and work with your team to improve it. We can also provide a complete source of services. At Commonwealth Sentinel, we stay focused on cyber security so you can focus on other things. Contact us today or sign up for a free consultation.
At Commonwealth Sentinel, we stay focused on cyber security so you can focus on other things.