Senate Hearing on Cybersecurity Threats to Local Governments
January 1, 2021
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The Frame
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.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
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.
Last recorded activity January 1, 2021.
Next step not available in the current record.
Summary
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.
- 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.
Why It Matters
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are local governments being targeted by cyberattacks?
What is the federal government's role in this issue?
News Coverage
Sponsors
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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
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