Cybersecurity, or the lack thereof, continues to weigh heavily on the minds of many state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. Rightly so, costly and disruptive cyber incidents involving ransomware, phishing scams, and other hacks are steadily rising. Take Dallas County, Texas, along with Nevada’s Clark County School District and the Kansas Court system, for example. They’re among the latest to fall victim to cyber thugs who continue to wreak havoc on critical systems and sensitive data nationwide.
Recognizing this trend and knowing that emergency management personnel (though typically not technology experts) play a “central role” in preparing for and responding to cyber incidents in their jurisdictions, FEMA offers new, foundational guidance titled “Planning Considerations for Cyber Incidents: Guidance for Emergency Managers.”
A recent FEMA newsletter explained that an interruption to one organization or system could have widespr