Local government websites are attractive targets for cybercriminals. You may think "we're too small to be targeted," but the opposite is true—small governments often have weaker defenses, making them easier targets. This guide covers cybersecurity basics that every municipal or township website administrator should understand, written for non-technical readers.
Why Local Governments Are Targeted
Understanding why attackers target you helps prioritize defenses.
You Have What They Want
Resident Data: Names, addresses, payment information, Social Security numbers—valuable for identity theft.
Trusted Domain: A .gov or official government domain carries inherent trust. Attackers can use compromised government sites to spread malware or phishing.
Disruption Value: Shutting down government services creates chaos and leverage for ransomware demands.
You May Be Vulnerable
Limited IT Resources: Most local governments lack dedicated security staff.
Aging Systems: Budget constraints mean older, potentially vulnerable technology.
Multiple Access Points: Elected officials, staff, volunteers—many people with varying security awareness.
The Most Common Threats
Know what you're defending against.
Phishing
What It Is: Fake emails designed to trick recipients into revealing passwords, clicking malicious links, or downloading malware.
Why It Works: Messages appear to come from trusted sources—colleagues, vendors, residents, government agencies.
Example: An email appearing to be from your web hosting company, asking you to "verify your account" by logging in at a fake site.
Ransomware
What It Is: Malicious software that encrypts your data, demanding payment for the decryption key.
Impact: Websites offline, data inaccessible, public services disrupted. Recovery can cost tens of thousands of dollars—sometimes more than the ransom itself.
Entry Points: Often through phishing emails or unpatched software vulnerabilities.
Website Defacement
What It Is: Attackers modify your website content, replacing it with their messages.
Impact: Embarrassment, lost public trust, potential spread of misinformation.
Motivation: Often political statements, sometimes just notoriety.
Data Breaches
What It Is: Unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Impact: Exposed resident data, legal liability, notification requirements, damaged trust.
Causes: Weak passwords, unpatched systems, SQL injection attacks, insider threats.
DDoS Attacks
What It Is: Distributed Denial of Service—overwhelming your website with traffic until it crashes.
Impact: Website unavailable to residents, often during critical times.
Motivation: Extortion, distraction for other attacks, protest/activism.
Essential Security Practices
These fundamentals protect against the most common attacks.
Keep Everything Updated
Why: Most attacks exploit known vulnerabilities that have already been patched. Outdated software = open doors.
What to Update:
- Content Management System (WordPress, Drupal, etc.)
- Plugins and modules
- Server software
- Desktop computers used to access the site
How:
- Enable automatic updates where possible
- Check for updates weekly at minimum
- Test updates on staging site before production
- Have backup before updating
If you lack time or expertise for updates, professional website maintenance services handle this.
Use Strong Passwords
Why: Weak passwords are easily guessed or cracked, giving attackers direct access.
Strong Password Rules:
- At least 12 characters (longer is better)
- Mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols
- No dictionary words, names, or dates
- Different password for each account
- Never share passwords
Better Approach: Use a password manager (LastPass, 1Password, Bitwarden) to generate and store unique passwords for every account.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Why: Even if someone steals your password, they can't log in without the second factor.
What It Is: After entering your password, you also verify with something you have—usually your phone (text code, authenticator app) or a hardware key.
Where to Enable:
- Website admin accounts
- Email accounts
- Payment systems
- Cloud services (Google, Microsoft)
Priority: Enable MFA on the most critical accounts first, especially admin access.
Limit Access
Why: Fewer people with access = fewer potential entry points and smaller blast radius if compromised.
Principles:
- Give people only the access they need
- Remove access when roles change or people leave
- Review access periodically (who has admin rights?)
- Use individual accounts, not shared credentials
Questions to Ask:
- Does everyone who has admin access need it?
- Are there old accounts for people no longer involved?
- Could some users work with less access?
Backup Regularly
Why: Backups are your recovery plan. If ransomware encrypts your site, restore from backup. If an attack destroys data, restore from backup.
Backup Requirements:
- Automatic (don't rely on remembering)
- Off-site (not on the same server as your website)
- Tested (verify you can actually restore)
- Retained (keep multiple versions)
Frequency: Daily for active websites; more frequent for high-transaction sites.
Secure Your Connections
Why: Unencrypted connections can be intercepted; attackers can steal credentials or modify data in transit.
HTTPS: Your website should be HTTPS (padlock in browser). This encrypts communication between visitors and your site.
Admin Access:
- Never log in over public WiFi without VPN
- Use secure connections (HTTPS, SSH) for administration
- Be cautious about accessing admin panels on shared networks
Monitor for Problems
Why: Early detection limits damage. The faster you know about an attack, the faster you can respond.
What to Watch:
- Failed login attempts (brute force attacks)
- Unexpected file changes
- Unusual traffic patterns
- Security tool alerts
- Visitor reports of problems
Tools:
- Security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri for WordPress)
- Server monitoring services
- Google Search Console (alerts for detected malware)
For comprehensive security monitoring, see website security for municipalities.
When You're Compromised
Despite best efforts, incidents happen. Know how to respond.
Recognize the Signs
Your site might be compromised if:
- Unexpected content appears
- Visitors report warnings or redirects
- Google marks your site as dangerous
- Site is unusually slow or unavailable
- Unknown admin accounts appear
- You receive ransomware demands
Immediate Response
- Stay calm: Panic leads to mistakes
- Document: Screenshot everything unusual
- Disconnect if needed: Take site offline if actively distributing malware
- Preserve evidence: Don't delete things until you understand what happened
- Get help: Contact your web vendor, IT support, or security professional
Recovery Steps
- Identify the entry point: How did attackers get in?
- Clean the infection: Remove malware, backdoors, unauthorized accounts
- Restore if needed: Use clean backups if available
- Close the vulnerability: Patch the weakness that was exploited
- Change credentials: New passwords for all affected accounts
- Monitor closely: Watch for reinfection
Required Notifications
You may be required to notify:
- Affected residents (if data was exposed)
- State agencies (depending on breach type and state law)
- Payment card processors (if payment data involved)
- Law enforcement (for significant incidents)
Understand your notification obligations before incidents occur.
Building Security Culture
Technology alone isn't enough. People are often the weakest link—and can be the strongest defense.
Staff Training
Everyone who accesses government systems needs:
- Phishing recognition training
- Password best practices
- Understanding of their security responsibilities
- Knowledge of who to contact for security concerns
Frequency: Initial training plus annual refreshers; additional alerts for emerging threats.
Security Policies
Document your expectations:
- Acceptable use policy
- Password requirements
- Data handling procedures
- Incident reporting process
Follow Through: Policies only work if enforced consistently.
Reporting Culture
Encourage reporting of:
- Suspicious emails
- Unusual system behavior
- Security concerns
- Near-misses and incidents
No blame for good-faith reports: You want people to report problems, not hide them out of fear.
Vendor Security
Your security is affected by the vendors you work with.
Questions to Ask Vendors
Before signing contracts:
- What security certifications do you hold?
- How do you handle security updates?
- What happens if you're breached?
- How do you protect our data?
- What access do your staff have to our systems?
Ongoing Oversight
After engagement:
- Review vendor security annually
- Ensure contracts include security requirements
- Monitor vendor news for breach reports
- Plan for vendor changes
Third-Party Widgets
Every third-party tool on your website is a potential risk:
- Calendar widgets
- Social media feeds
- Payment processors
- Analytics tools
Evaluate the security of each, and minimize unnecessary third-party code.
Cost-Effective Security
You don't need enterprise budgets for basic security.
Free/Low-Cost Tools
Website Security:
- Wordfence (WordPress security plugin) - Free tier available
- Cloudflare (DDoS protection, CDN) - Free tier available
- Let's Encrypt (SSL certificates) - Free
Password Management:
- Bitwarden - Free tier available
- KeePass - Free, open source
Multi-Factor Authentication:
- Google Authenticator - Free
- Microsoft Authenticator - Free
Where to Invest
Prioritize spending on:
- Professional maintenance if you lack IT staff
- Good hosting with security features
- Staff training
- Incident response capability
Managed Security Services
For governments without IT staff, managed services provide:
- Regular updates and patching
- Security monitoring
- Incident response support
- Expert guidance
Our website maintenance services include security management.
Quick Reference: Security Checklist
Use this checklist for regular security reviews:
Weekly:
- [ ] Check for software updates
- [ ] Review security alerts/notifications
- [ ] Verify backup completion
Monthly:
- [ ] Review user accounts (any to remove?)
- [ ] Check for failed login attempts
- [ ] Verify backup restoration works
- [ ] Review third-party tool security
Quarterly:
- [ ] Security training refresher for staff
- [ ] Review and update passwords
- [ ] Audit admin access levels
- [ ] Test incident response procedures
Annually:
- [ ] Comprehensive security audit
- [ ] Vendor security review
- [ ] Policy updates
- [ ] Incident response plan review
Getting Help
Cybersecurity can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to figure it out alone.
Resources
Federal Resources:
- CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency): Resources for local governments
- MS-ISAC (Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center): Free membership for local governments
State Resources:
- Many states offer cybersecurity assistance to local governments
- Contact your state municipal association
Professional Support
At CivicSitePro, we build and maintain secure municipal websites with security best practices built in. Our ongoing maintenance services include security management so you don't have to worry about it.
Concerned about your website's security? Request a free audit that includes security evaluation, or book a consultation to discuss your security needs.