As cyberattacks become more frequent, sophisticated, and destructive, local governments find themselves on the front lines of an ever-evolving digital battlefield. With sensitive data and critical infrastructure at risk, the pressure to defend against cyber threats has never been greater. For IT directors and their teams, the weight of this responsibility is immense — and the consequences of inaction could be catastrophic.
In 2025, cybersecurity isn’t just a priority; it’s a necessity. Local governments must take a proactive, strategic approach to safeguarding their networks, systems, and sensitive information. This means not only responding to immediate threats but also laying the groundwork for long-term resilience.
To help local government IT directors tackle this challenge, we’ve identified the top nine cybersecurity initiatives to focus on this year. These priorities will maximize your budget, strengthen defenses, facilitate compliance readiness, and set the stage for a more secure future. Let’s explore the key initiatives that will help you stay ahead of the curve.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #1: Incident Response Planning and Testing
What it is: Incident response planning (IRP) involves developing a structured approach to identifying, managing, and recovering from cybersecurity incidents. Testing these plans ensures their effectiveness and readiness for real-world scenarios.
Why it’s important: A swift and effective response can significantly reduce downtime, minimize financial losses, and protect public trust. Without a tested plan, local governments risk being caught off guard when incidents occur.
How to prioritize:
- Create a formal policy outlining roles, responsibilities, and procedures for responding to cybersecurity incidents.
- Assemble a cross-functional incident response team, including IT, legal, communications, and leadership representatives.
- Draft a comprehensive IRP detailing response steps for various incident types, such as ransomware or data breaches.
- Conduct tabletop exercises and simulations to ensure the team is familiar with the plan and can identify gaps or improvements.
- Regularly update the IRP based on lessons learned from testing, new threats, or changes in organizational structure or systems.
Recommended solutions:
- Policy and Procedure Consultation: Work with a dedicated professional to develop tailored incident response policy and plan.
- Tabletop Exercises: Test the effectiveness of your IRP during a simulated cyber incident facilitated by an experienced security professional.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #2: 24/7 Monitoring of IT Systems
What it is: Continuous monitoring involves real-time surveillance of IT systems and networks to detect unusual activity, vulnerabilities, and performance issues.
Why it’s important: Early detection of potential threats allows for quick mitigation before they escalate. Continuous monitoring also ensures compliance with some regulatory requirements.
How to prioritize:
- Research and evaluate monitoring tools and services.
- Outline the scope of monitoring activities, including what systems, data, and events will be tracked. Define escalation procedures and response protocols for detected incidents.
- Assign responsibilities to internal staff or partners, specifying who will analyze alerts, investigate incidents, and manage system configurations.
- Deploy the selected tool(s), ensuring proper configuration for alerts, thresholds, and log aggregation. Integrate monitoring solutions with existing IT systems.
- Use dashboards for real-time visibility into your systems’ health and security.
Recommended solutions:
- Managed Detection and Response (MDR): Provides 24x7x365 monitoring of networks by security analysts in a security operations center (SOC) who can detect threats across an entire network and respond to them in seconds.
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Continuous monitoring focused on identifying and addressing security threats at the endpoint level.
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems: A centralized platform for log analysis and threat detection across the network.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #3: Regular System Updates and Patches
What it is: This involves applying updates and patches to systems, software, and applications to fix vulnerabilities and improve functionality.
Why it’s important: Cybercriminals frequently exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated systems. Regular patching is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to close security gaps.
How to prioritize:
- Review existing processes for identifying, testing, and applying patches to ensure they are efficient and comprehensive.
- Establish a formal policy defining patch priorities, timelines, and responsibilities, ensuring all systems are covered.
- Implement tools that automate the detection and application of critical patches to reduce manual effort and improve response time.
- Keep an inventory of all hardware and software to ensure no system is overlooked.
- Set up systems to track patch status, ensuring timely application and generating regular reports for auditing and compliance purposes.
Recommended solutions:
- Patch Management Software: Directly purchase a patch management tool that automates patching across environments or hire a vendor with an existing patch management solution to implement and manage it for you.
- Vulnerability Scanning: Regular vulnerability scans pinpoint outdated software, missing patches, and other security weaknesses. This allows IT teams to prioritize and execute system updates and patches more effectively.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #4: Regular Cybersecurity Audits and Assessments
What it is: Periodic evaluations of your security posture to identify vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with standards and regulations.
Why it’s important: Audits provide a clear picture of where your defenses stand and help identify areas for improvement. They’re also crucial for meeting compliance requirements.
How to prioritize:
- Communicate the importance of regular cybersecurity audits to leadership, emphasizing their role in identifying risks, improving security, and ensuring compliance.
- Establish clear goals for the audits, such as identifying vulnerabilities or ensuring compliance, and determine which systems, processes, and data will be included.
- Identify critical assets, potential threats, and existing vulnerabilities to prioritize areas of focus for the audits.
- Create a basic plan outlining audit frequency, methodology, and responsibilities. Consider starting with internal assessments before moving to external ones.
- Involve IT teams, leadership, and key departments in planning and execution. Provide staff with awareness training to support audit activities and findings.
Recommended solutions:
- Security Assessment: Analyze critical systems based on industry benchmarks and best practices.
- Risk Assessment: Identify, prioritize, and measure your cyber risk to help build a comprehensive security roadmap that drives decisions and funding.
- Penetration Test: Test the effectiveness of your cyber defenses, which is especially useful to validate any remediation efforts.
- Vulnerability Scanning: Proactively manage vulnerabilities by regularly looking for and evaluating new security weaknesses in your environment.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #5: Review, Implement, and Optimize Access Controls
What it is: Access controls govern who can access systems and data, ensuring that only authorized personnel have the necessary permissions.
Why it’s important: Strong access controls limit the damage that can result from insider threats or credential theft. They enforce the principle of least privilege, reducing an organization’s attack surface.
How to prioritize:
- Identify all systems, applications, and data repositories in the organization. Evaluate current access control mechanisms and identify gaps or vulnerabilities.
- Categorize data and systems based on sensitivity and criticality. Apply the principle of least privilege (PoLP), ensuring access is restricted to what is necessary for each role.
- Establish clear, organization-wide access control policies, including authentication, authorization, and periodic access reviews. Align policies with compliance standards and regulatory requirements.
- Present the risks of inadequate access controls and the benefits of robust practices to secure budget and stakeholder buy-in for the initiative.
- Create a Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) Framework by defining user roles and assigning permissions based on job responsibilities. Standardize and document roles to minimize access discrepancies.
Recommended solutions:
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA tools like Cisco DUO require users to provide multiple forms of identification to access systems.
- Single Sign-On: Enables users to log into multiple applications with a single set of credentials.
- Identity and Access Management (IAM) Tools: Grants control of user identities and access rights to systems and applications and manages user access control activities.
- Network Segmentation: Limits user access based on administrative, logical, and physical features according to roles and network regions.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #6: Implement, Update, and Uphold Written Policies and Procedures
What it is: Documented policies and procedures outline how cybersecurity measures are implemented, maintained, and enforced within the organization.
Why it’s important: Clear documentation ensures consistency in cybersecurity practices and provides a reference point for staff during incidents.
How to prioritize:
- Review existing policies to identify gaps, outdated content, or areas requiring improvement.
- Involve leadership, legal, and departmental teams to align policies with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.
- Identify high-risk areas to address first, such as access control, incident response, and data protection.
- Establish a routine for updating and revising policies, such as annually or after major changes in technology or regulations.
- Distribute updated policies organization-wide and provide training to ensure staff understand and comply with them.
Recommended solutions:
- Policy and Procedure Consultation: Choose a partner skilled in policy development to create tailored written procedures for your organization.
- Regular Audits and Assessments: Schedule routine internal or external audits to review adherence to policies and identify gaps or outdated procedures.
- Integration with Employee Training and Awareness: Assign mandatory policy review tasks within your existing employee training and awareness training platform.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #7: Align Cybersecurity Initiatives with Compliance and Industry Frameworks
What it is: Aligning cybersecurity efforts with frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, or CIS Controls ensures that your strategies meet industry standards.
Why it’s important: Framework alignment is crucial as it offers a structured approach to security, supports cyber risk management, and helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, thereby avoiding fines and protecting their reputation.
How to prioritize:
- Research and select relevant standards like NIST, CIS Controls, or state-specific regulations for local governments.
- Compare current cybersecurity practices against the chosen frameworks to identify areas needing improvement.
- Prioritize initiatives that address critical gaps, focusing on high-impact areas.
- Establish processes to continuously assess compliance and adapt to changes in regulations or frameworks.
Recommended solution:
- Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC): Choose a compliance management tool or service, like M.A. Polce’s GRC solution, to automate the alignment of cybersecurity initiatives with compliance goals.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #8: Employee Training and Awareness Programs
What it is: Ongoing education for staff to recognize and respond to cyber threats such as phishing and social engineering.
Why it’s important: Employees are the first line of defense against cyberattacks. Awareness programs can dramatically reduce the risk of successful attacks.
How to prioritize:
- Assess current awareness levels by conducting surveys or tests to identify knowledge gaps and training needs among staff.
- Highlight the importance of training in preventing cyber threats and securing funding or approval.
- Develop a training plan focused on key topics like phishing, password security, and incident reporting, tailored to staff roles.
- Leverage existing resources such as government-provided cybersecurity resources or online modules.
- Plan ongoing sessions or campaigns to reinforce awareness and adapt to emerging threats.
Recommended solution:
- Security Awareness Training (SAT) Platform: Purchase a SAT tool like Knowbe4, either directly or through a vendor, to provide comprehensive training to your staff.
Local Government Cybersecurity Priority #9: Improve Data Backups and Backup Strategy
What it is: Data backups involve creating and storing copies of critical data to ensure its availability in case of loss, corruption, or a cyberattack.
Why it’s important: Backups are a vital line of defense against ransomware attacks and accidental data loss. They enable quick recovery and reduce downtime, ensuring continuity of operations. A high-quality backup strategy can also reduce overall ransomware recovery costs. According to a recent Sophos report, Median overall ransomware recovery costs were four times greater than when backups were not compromised ($3M vs. $750K).
How to prioritize:
- Review existing backup systems to identify weaknesses, such as outdated software or insufficient coverage.
- Prioritize backup for sensitive or mission-critical data, including citizen records and financial information.
- Implement a 3-2-1 backup strategy: keep three copies of data, stored on two different media, with one copy offsite.
- Regularly test backups to ensure data integrity and recovery speed.
- Create a consistent schedule for backups and define retention policies to balance storage needs and data protection.
- Encrypt backups to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access.
Recommended solutions:
- Cloud Backup Solutions: Use cloud-based services for secure, off-site backup storage and disaster recovery.
- Hybrid Backup Solutions: Combine on-site backups (e.g., Network-Attached Storage) with cloud backup for redundancy and fast recovery options.
- Automated Backup Tools: Implement software that automates backup processes to reduce human error and ensure regular, consistent backups.
- Backup Encryption: Ensure backups are encrypted both in transit and at rest to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access.
- Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS): Engage a service that provides full disaster recovery solutions, enabling quick restoration of systems and data after an incident.
- Backup Monitoring and Alerts: Implement systems that monitor backup success/failure and send alerts for missed or failed backups to ensure timely resolution.
Advancing Local Government Cybersecurity in 2025
In 2025, local government IT directors face a critical mission: to modernize their defenses and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Threat actors are evolving, using advanced tactics to exploit vulnerabilities, and IT directors must rise to the occasion to protect the communities they serve. By prioritizing the initiatives outlined above, you’ll not only strengthen your organization’s security posture but also build resilience against future challenges.
You don’t have to navigate this complex landscape alone. Our team of cybersecurity experts is here to support you with any of these initiatives or other IT and cybersecurity needs. Contact us today to learn more about the ways we can augment your team and simplify cybersecurity for you.
