The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on Cybersecurity Threats to Local Governments
Record date · January 1, 2021
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
This Senate subcommittee hearing examined the rising frequency and cost of cyberattacks targeting state and local government agencies. Witnesses and senators discussed how federal support can help local entities improve their defenses against and other digital threats.
The hearing addresses the financial and operational risks to local public services, such as schools and municipal utilities, which face increasing costs from cyberattacks that can reach millions of dollars per incident.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State and local government agencies
These entities are the primary targets of cyberattacks and face the financial and operational consequences of system outages.
Taxpayers
Taxpayers bear the financial burden of the millions of dollars required to clean up and restore services after a cyberattack.
Key Facts
- The total cost of publicly known ransomware attacks on state and local governments in 2020 was estimated at nearly $1 billion.
- Cyberattacks against state and local entities increased by 50 percent between 2017 and 2019.
- The average ransom demand in cyberattacks against local entities increased 10 times over the reported period.
- The average cost to taxpayers to remediate a single cyberattack has risen to the millions of dollars.
Show all 6 facts
- The hearing was held on June 17, 2021, by the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight.
- The Sunapee School District in New Hampshire was specifically cited as a case study for having a cybersecurity plan and backup systems in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are local governments being targeted by cyberattacks?
What is the federal government's role in this issue?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Focus on Local Vulnerability
The hearing marks a shift in federal attention from purely national-level cyber threats to the specific vulnerabilities of local school districts and municipal governments.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance80How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools