Topic: Cybersecurity in Local Government: Navigating Compliance and Risk
Abstract: As the cybersecurity market continues to focus on large enterprises and national-level compliance, local governments and municipalities are often left underserved—despite managing vast amounts of personally identifiable and financial information for large populations.
This webinar will examine key cybersecurity threats targeting local governments, such as ransomware, phishing, insider threats, and IoT vulnerabilities. Real-world case studies will be discussed to illustrate their impact, including service disruptions, financial losses, and diminished public trust. Attendees will gain insights into developing and implementing compliance-driven policies and security frameworks specifically tailored for local public sector organizations.
Additionally, the session will highlight how security leaders can adopt emerging technologies to strengthen cyber resilience and data protection. The webinar will also cover Zero Trust Architecture, layered defenses, incident response planning, supply chain security, and strategies for leveraging federal grants and partnerships to enhance cybersecurity readiness.
Key Takeaways:
- Current threat landscape and importance of cybersecurity for local government
- Governance, compliance, and risk management for local governments
- Incident response planning, risk assessments, and aligning with key frameworks like NIST 800-53, local election security standards, CIS Controls, and CJIS
- Building a tailored, resilient cybersecurity program
- Implementing Zero Trust, layered defenses, and vendor risk management
- Leveraging funding and resource optimization
Speaker:
Nick Kuriger,Director of Information Technology/Information Security Officer at the Virginia State Bar
Bio: With over 25 years in IT and cybersecurity, Nick Kuriger serves as the Director of Information Technology and Information Security Officer at the Virginia State Bar. He is also an Associate Professor and conducts cybersecurity assessments for Virginia’s local governments. Kuriger holds 13 EC-Council Certifications, including CCISO and CEH Master, along with over 100 other certifications from (ISC)², ISACA, SANS, Microsoft, AWS and CompTIA. He also holds multiple master’s degrees in IT, cybersecurity, and business and is committed to advancing cybersecurity practices and education through his work.
