October is Cyber Security Awareness Month

 

Now more than ever, it is important for county governments to be cyber smart. Due to claims experience, public entities insured by the commercial cyber insurance market are seeing over 100% premium increases on average, reduced limits, and increase retentions/deductibles – if they are even provided a quote. Underwriters are asking more questions and caring about the answers more than ever before. Better answers mean better protection for the county, its systems, and its information – and better options for coverage. 

 

Members of the ACCG Property & Liability Program are not experiencing those same premium increases and changes in limits or retentions/deductibles. However, it is equally important for members to be focused on protecting their systems and data to prevent a data breach and/or system shutdown. Many tools are available to help county governments reduce their cyber security risks.

 

The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) are in their 18th year working together to raise awareness of the importance of cybersecurity across our Nation.  The overarching theme “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.”, encourages individuals and organizations to own their role in protecting their part of cyberspace, stressing personal accountability and the importance of taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity. 

 

For 2021, the following topics will be the focus each week. Click the links to open the attachment to share with staff on a weekly basis:

• Week of October 4 (Week 1):  Be Cyber Smart – Take simple actions to keep your digital lives secure.  Cybersecurity starts with YOU! 
• Week of October 11 (Week 2):  Phight the Phish! – Learn how to spot and report phishing attempts to prevent ransomware and other malware attacks.
• Week of October 18 (Week 3):  Explore.  Experience.  Share.  – Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility.  We must do our part to keep the Internet safe for everyone.
• Week of October 25 (Week 4):  Cybersecurity First – Explore how cybersecurity and staying safe online is increasingly important as many continue to operate virtually.

Members of the ACCG Property & Liability Program have free access to the new and improved eRisk Hub® (Version 4.0). This web portal provides the following:

• News center that provides information on public entity-specific data breaches
• New ransomware readiness tool – receive a score and get recommendations for improvement
• New ransomware impact tool – view costs for public entities and by ransomware type
• Enhanced claims scenario tool
• List of vendors and experts for assistance if/when a data breach occurs
• Sample policies

Do Your Part and Be Cyber Smart by focusing on areas for improvement the month of October and beyond.