Forrester researchers warn that “There’s no such thing as ‘too small’ or ‘too off the radar’ for opportunistic cybercriminals.” Indeed, small towns are vulnerable to cyberattacks, as they house critical infrastructure including sensitive data and essential water, energy, and utilities systems. The U.S. is a nation of these mostly smaller communities. Census data confirms that of approximately 19,500 incorporated places, about 75% have fewer than 5,000 people, and nearly 33% have fewer than 500. While cybersecurity improvements can focus on prevention, cyber resilience requires the ability to anticipate, withstand, adapt to, and recover from cyber incidents. According to Michael Mestrovich, CISO for data security company Rubrik, cyber resilience is a combination of cyber posture and cyber recovery. It encompasses incident response and operational continuity. Even with limited resources and technical expertise, small towns can take steps to help prevent exposure of confidential data, loss of public trust, service disruption, and high recovery costs.
1. Illustrate Your Organizational Data Movement
Small towns can strengthen their cyber resilience by first illustrating their organizational data movement. This involves identifying every device, application, and system that stores or processes data, such as Social Security numbers, personnel, tax, and voter records. Understanding where data originates is the foundation of a robust data management strategy. Next, small towns should categorize data types, grouping them as public, confidential, or sensitive. This helps prioritize protection measures based on the data’s importance and risk level.
Examining how data is exchanged internally and externally is another crucial step. Mapping data sharing practices provides insights into potential vulnerabilities and helps in designing targeted security measures. Additionally, user access must be thoroughly inspected. Evaluating permissions and access to sensitive data ensures that only authorized personnel can handle critical information. Applying controls such as privileged access management, identity and access management, and multifactor authentication (MFA) are essential to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and potential breaches.
2. Assess Current Cybersecurity Measures
After illustrating data movement, small towns should assess their current cybersecurity measures. Detecting vulnerabilities is a proactive way to identify and mitigate potential risks. Regularly scanning systems for known weaknesses ensures that security gaps are addressed promptly. Utilizing patch management is equally important. Applying updates and software patches promptly helps protect systems from exploitative attacks.
Considering local threats is vital for tailored security measures. Identifying insider threats and social engineering tactics specific to the town’s environment can prevent targeted attacks. Furthermore, evaluating third-party risks is crucial. Conducting due diligence on vendors with access to confidential data—such as those involved in credit card processing and payroll services—ensures that external partners uphold stringent security standards. This holistic approach to assessing cybersecurity not only fortifies defenses but also minimizes the likelihood of successful cyberattacks.
3. Evaluate Data Lifecycle Management Practices
To further enhance cyber resilience, small towns should evaluate their data lifecycle management practices. Implementing data retention and deletion best practices minimizes the attack surface by ensuring that only necessary data is retained. Sensitivity and functional need should inform retention periods, considering legal and operational requirements as well as historical value.
Automated data management and protection tools play a significant role in this context. These tools enable rapid data backup and automatic deletion of data once it reaches the end of its retention period. Ensuring that these tools provide fast, reliable data restoration is essential. Protecting backups from malicious data encryption, modification, or deletion guarantees the existence of a dependable copy for recovery. Focusing on robust data lifecycle management practices allows small towns to maintain data integrity and availability, crucial aspects of cyber resilience.
4. Explore Cyber Insurance Options
Exploring cyber insurance options is a practical step for small towns aiming to enhance their cyber resilience. Traditional, private-market cyber insurance can provide valuable coverage, although attention to stringent security standards and coverage limitations is necessary. Given the high costs associated with some insurance policies, small towns should also consider alternative options.
Self-insuring through security bonds or creating reserves offers financial protection without relying solely on external insurers. Additionally, investigating lower-cost cyber risk pools can be beneficial. These consortiums of local governments often provide added cybersecurity support, enabling municipalities to pool resources and share expertise. By exploring diverse insurance options, small towns can ensure adequate protection while managing budget constraints.
5. Utilize Available Cyber Resources
Small towns should make full use of available cyber resources to strengthen their resilience. Familiarity with frameworks like NIST’s ransomware risk management is beneficial for planning incident response and communication strategies. Referring to guides released by agencies such as the FBI, CISA, NSA, and DHS provides actionable steps to quickly identify and respond to emerging cyber threats.
Joining InfraGard offers training and briefings on emerging threats while providing opportunities for networking and information sharing. Participating in state-level resources, such as municipal cybersecurity summits, helps small towns stay updated on best practices and build support networks. Utilizing these resources ensures that small municipalities remain well-informed and prepared against evolving cyber threats.
6. Apply for Cybersecurity Grants
Forrester researchers caution that “There’s no such thing as ‘too small’ or ‘too off the radar’ for opportunistic cybercriminals.” Small towns are particularly at risk for cyberattacks, as they contain vital infrastructure such as sensitive data, and crucial water, energy, and utility systems. The U.S. consists primarily of such smaller communities. Census data reveals that out of roughly 19,500 incorporated places, around 75% have populations under 5,000, and nearly 33% have fewer than 500 residents. While cybersecurity advancements often emphasize prevention, true cyber resilience necessitates the ability to foresee, endure, adapt to, and recover from cyber incidents. Michael Mestrovich, CISO for data security company Rubrik, describes cyber resilience as a blend of cyber posture and cyber recovery, incorporating incident response and operational continuity. Even with resource and expertise limitations, small towns can implement measures to protect confidential information, maintain public trust, prevent service disruptions, and avoid hefty recovery expenses.
