Improving cybersecurity in small town governments

LITCHFIELD — Municipal leaders throughout the region gathered on Zoom Thursday, March 14, to learn of cybersecurity solutions in the age of digital threats.

A presentation by Weston Meehan of Executive Business Machines in Trumbull was given to the Northwest Hill Council of Governments (COG) at its March meeting.

Meehan spoke about the training and solutions available to small town governments. On the front line, Town Hall staff can take the first step by becoming educated on how to spot and avoid phishing emails.

Phishing is an online scam designed to trick users into granting access or personal information to criminals.

In Torrington, Mayor Eleanor Carbone said her town fell victim to cyberattacks during the pandemic after an employee clicked an unsafe link.

“We were hacked in 2020,” Carbone said. “I highly encourage everybody to be very serious about what are you doing with regard to protecting yourself and making sure your employees are not clicking the wrong email, because ultimately, that was how we got hacked.”

Torrington responded by creating a team of information technology (IT) professionals to handle cybersecurity in town.

For smaller towns that lack the resources for a dedicated team, Meehan advised leaders begin to offer training courses to municipal employees. This not only improves awareness but can reduce cyberinsurance rates for towns.

He recommended towns use a tool called KnowBe4 to gather data on points of vulnerability.

“KnowBe4 is the industry leader,” said Meehan. “They’re always coming out with phishing campaigns and deceptive emails that can easily be dispersed.”

KnowBe4 uses fake phishing emails to identify which employees are in need of more training. Susceptible users can then be offered additional training.

COG Executive Director Rob Phillips added that one town fell victim to phishing scams and is now ineligible for cyberinsurance. Instead, it must fund an IT team to head up digital security.

COG senior regional planner Jean Speck advised towns update municipal websites to .gov domains instead of .org. Government domains offer increased security and have recently become free for municipal web pages.

“Of [COG’s] 21 towns, only 23% actually have a .gov domain name. Most have .org, a couple have .us, which doesn’t meet the same security protection level as a .gov. So, we’d like to offer a walk-through,” Speck said.

Speck asked municipal leaders looking to increase cybersecurity in their towns to reach out to her for next steps.

Speck noted that in 2021, Connecticut was home to 77 municipal cyberattacks and more than 80 educational institution cyberattacks. The result was “millions and millions of dollars” lost.

“It’s a life-changing event for any town,” Speck said.

Latest News

GNH blanks St. Paul 34-0 in Turkey Bowl

Wes Allyn breaks away from the St. Paul defense for a reception touchdown Wednesday, Nov. 26.

Photo by Riley Klein

BRISTOL — The Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic co-op football team ended the season with a 34-0 shutout victory over St. Paul Catholic High School Wednesday, Nov. 26.

It was GNH’s fourth consecutive Turkey Bowl win against St. Paul and the final game for 19 GNH seniors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Students curate Katro Storm portraits at HVRHS

“Once Upon a Time in America” features ten portraits by artist Katro Storm.

Natalia Zukerman

The Kearcher-Monsell Gallery at Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village is once again host to a wonderful student-curated exhibition. “Once Upon a Time in America,” ten portraits by New Haven artist Katro Storm, opened on Nov. 20 and will run through the end of the year.

“This is our first show of the year,” said senior student Alex Wilbur, the current head intern who oversees the student-run gallery. “I inherited the position last year from Elinor Wolgemuth. It’s been really amazing to take charge and see this through.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Mini horses, big impact: animal learning center opens in Sheffield

Le Petit Ranch offers animal-assisted therapy and learning programs for children and seniors in Sheffield.

Marjorie Borreda

Le Petit Ranch, a nonprofit offering animal-assisted therapy and learning programs, opened in April at 147 Bears Den Road in Sheffield. Founded by Marjorie Borreda, the center provides programs for children, families and seniors using miniature horses, rescued greyhounds, guinea pigs and chickens.

Borreda, who moved to Sheffield with her husband, Mitch Moulton, and their two children to be closer to his family, has transformed her longtime love of animals into her career. She completed certifications in animal-assisted therapy and coaching in 2023, along with coursework in psychiatry, psychology, literacy and veterinary skills.

Keep ReadingShow less