As the Suffolk County malware crisis approaches the two-month mark — and since October is, after all, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month — New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced this week that his office has rolled out a series of cybersecurity training webinars for local governments.
"As threats and attacks from malicious actors continue to become more sophisticated," Mr. DiNapoli said in an Oct. 24 press release, "the importance of training for the 'people' part of a cyber-defense has grown even more critical."
The trainings are packaged as 10-minute "tech talks" and were developed by the comptroller's division of local government and school accountability's applied technology unit.
This year's cyber-security campaign theme, said Mr. DiNapoli, is See Yourself in Cyber and it highlights "the critical roles that all people play in cybersecurity."
The training webinars have been released weekly through the month: cybersecurity foundations on Oct. 3; software management on Oct 12; multifactor authentication on Oct. 17; passwords on Oct. 24; and phishing, set for release on Halloween.
Mr. DiNapoli noted that his office would be surveying local governments "in the weeks ahead on cybersecurity issues."
Joanne Pilgrim, chief of staff for East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, told The Star in September — just few days after the Suffolk County malware attack — that East Hampton has rigorous cybersecurity protocols in place.
"The Town of East Hampton takes an in-depth approach to cybersecurity," Ms. Pilgrim said at the time. "Monitoring and prevention includes logging and tracking all security incidents, performing vulnerability assessments, and training staff to protect against threats. We monitor threat-data feeds to stay up to date on the latest indicators of issues as well as known threat actors and their tactics, techniques, and procedures."
Ms. Pilgrim added that the town's Information Technology Department "keeps town staff apprised of what they can do to help with the overall safety and security of the town's cyber resources."
Suffolk County has struggled to regain its online footing and provide services as usual following the Sept. 8 malware attack.
Title searches required in real estate transactions have been disrupted or delayed, and Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy recently told The Star that the county was about $140 million behind in cutting checks to vendors who provide services on behalf of the county.
In East Hampton Town, that has translated into, for example, funding shortfalls at the Retreat, a nonprofit that provides emergency shelter and services for victims of domestic, sexual, and school-place violence.
The new series from Mr. DiNapoli's office — along with prior Cybersecurity Awareness Month webinars — can be accessed at the New York State Comptroller's Office website, osc.state.ny.us.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen when the Suffolk County comptroller's own website will be back online — it's been shuttered along with other county agencies and service portals since the Sept. 8 attack.
