“It’s like the Wild West, the Internet. There are no rules.”
Steven Wright
The rules are on their way…
From ransomware, to malware, web application hacking, insider privilege and date misuse, to target infusions there are no shortage of cyberattacks now on any given day. Cyber-attacks don’t just happen to gigantic companies either. They are happening to cities, utilities, car dealerships, even small businesses just trying to support their families. Something must be done to help these targets protect themselves, and protect their communities from cyber-thugs. Enter the state of Florida.
The State of Florida has recently put forth legislation that mandates local governments (cities, towns, municipalities) operate under a Technology Cybersecurity Framework:
“Each local government shall adopt cybersecurity standards that safeguard its data, information technology, and information technology resources to ensure availability, confidentiality, and integrity. The cybersecurity standards must be consistent with generally accepted best practices for cybersecurity, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework.” (source: https://tinyurl.com/4hfe2ssx)
Most municipalities are adopting the framework that goes into effect for Florida counties under 75,000 by January 2025, from the National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST MEP Self-Assessment Handbook. It’s a very thorough set of guidelines, in fact, it’s approximately 138 pages of guidelines. For many smaller cities, it’s daunting.
The Good.
At ASSI, we firmly believe in taking every step necessary to ensure the cyber-safety of everyone. It’s a huge positive that the government is taking strides to ensure consistency and standards to keep systems safe.
The Bad.
Upholding these standards and building an infrastructure to ensure that they are measured, implemented, updated, etc., will tax most IT crews of small cities that are already stretched thin. These standards will require the IT team to wear even more hats, thus, potentially letting other important balls drop.
The UGLY.
Many municipal IT teams are getting quotes to help with the implementation between 100K for a network of 125 computers. This is obviously squeezing budgets and could cause a ripple effect, budget cuts, and potential lay-offs.
The Heroes.
Your friends at ASSI understand how much of a strain that applying this will have on your small town. This is why we’ve dug deep and are able to offer this type of framework for less than 20K, plus the cost of solutions. Using CIS Controls v8 (https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/v8) which is a far easier standard to adapt, we will help save you headaches, money, and frustration. We’ll be there to help your municipality tame the wild wild west every step of the way.
Get in Touch!
Give the team at ASSI a call today to chat about our solution for your city. Call 407) 414-6626 or fill out our contact form here > https://advancedsystemssolutions.com/contact-us/. Relax, we’re on IT.
