TORONTO — A recent ransomware attack that knocked out several online services in one of Ontario's largest cities has brought into sharp focus the need for municipalities to have a plan to respond to what's become an unavoidable – and increasingly sop
TORONTO — A recent ransomware attack that knocked out several online services in one of Ontario's largest cities has brought into sharp focus the need for municipalities to have a plan to respond to what's become an unavoidable – and increasingly sophisticated – threat, a top cybersecurity expert said.
Every municipality needs to establish"how they will respond to that kind of crisis," Finlay said, stressing it's not something that should be improvised once the damage is done. Governments also need to beef up training for staff to ensure they follow best practices such as two-factor authentication, regular software and password updates and not clicking on links in emails from untrusted senders, he said, noting breaches can often stem from employee mistakes.
Systems used for online payments or licence applications have been affected, and municipal staff are processing routine transactions manually or accepting cash wherever possible, they said. An investigation is also underway to determine if any personal information was accessed or compromised. "Once systems are up and running again, the city will conduct a full review to identify where changes and improvements may be needed and to help prevent a similar incident from happening in future."
The insurance company set out cybersecurity standards that the city had to meet in order to stay covered, Mathieson said in a recent interview. It also helped lay out a path for them following the breach, he added.
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