Municipal Governments and the Need for Cybersecurity

Cyberattacks on municipal governments have been on the rise, usually causing millions of dollars in damage. Despite their frequency, municipal governments are still struggling to mount a solid front against these attacks. This is partly due to a lack of resources, a lack of managerial oversight, and a lack of collaboration. Usually, these shortcomings manifest in poor cybersecurity policy creation and implementation, causing a snowball effect that can prove to have dire consequences. Even with this knowledge, municipal governments can find themselves caught in a vicious cycle that is further exacerbated by an overall poor security posture. This thesis seeks to put these shortcomings into perspective by providing background information into the inner workings of municipal government and the services they provide. Secondly, it will use six case studies of American cities where cyberattacks caused massive amounts of damage. Lastly, it will provide recommendations that can help a municipality still gain valuable experience and develop proper security policy in the absence of resources.