The Badge Archive

City Cyber Attack Strategies

To be used in the Cyber Attack Dice Scenario

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework identifies five key functions for strong cybersecurity:

  • Identify: Inventorying devices, conducting vulnerability assessments.
  • Protect: Using firewalls, encryption, antivirus software, and limiting data access.
  • Detect: Training employees to recognize phishing and malware.
  • Respond: Incident response plans.
  • Recover: Collaborating with professionals to restore systems after an attack.

Cybersecurity Precautions

  1. Awareness and Training for city employees
    Regular training helps employees recognize and respond to cyber threats, minimizing human risk.
  2. Advanced Awareness and Training for administrators and executives
    Specialized training ensures those with access to sensitive data understand their responsibilities.
  3. Keep all city software up to date
    Security updates fix vulnerabilities that hackers might exploit.
  4. Invest in up-to-date antivirus software
    Prevents, detects, and removes malware to protect the city’s systems.
  5. Hire a cybersecurity professional
    Enhances capacity to monitor incidents and manage ongoing concerns.
  6. Conduct background checks on employees
    Identifies individuals with potential cybercrime history.
  7. Request security documentation from vendors
    Ensures vendors with network access prioritize cybersecurity.
  8. Increase the city’s overall bandwidth
    Prevents system shutdowns during Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks.
  9. Invest in firewalls
    Filters access and prevents data transmission to unauthorized websites.
  10. Run regular cyberattack simulations
    Tests and strengthens response and recovery plans.
  11. Encrypt all collected data
    Protects data from being usable, even in a breach.
  12. Create an incident response and recovery plan
    Guides employees on their roles during a cyberattack.
  13. Inventory physical devices, systems, and software
    Helps identify assets to prioritize their protection.
  14. Conduct a security vulnerability assessment
    Identifies weak spots to allocate resources effectively.
  15. Limit privileges and data access
    Reduces risk by restricting access to only essential personnel.
Tia Kennard