Planning for Digital Storms

Co‑authored by Capital Strategic Solutions and Augment Systems LLC.

Why Cities and Towns Should Treat Cybersecurity like the Weather

This October, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Capital Strategic Solutions and Augment Systems are teaming up to help communities prepare for the next kind of storm, the digital kind. Together, we’re sharing simple, practical steps that help every department, from DPW to Police to Town Hall, become more cyber‑ready.

When a nor’easter is in the forecast, everyone knows the plan: predict, prepare, drill, respond, recover. Digital storms deserve the same playbook. Cyber incidents can halt 911 dispatch, disrupt water billing, close schools, and erode public trust. This isn’t just “an IT problem,” it’s a public‑safety issue.

What we’re seeing: losses reported to federal authorities continue to climb year over year; ransomware remains one of the most common public‑sector breach patterns; and small teams managing critical infrastructure (like water and public works) face increasing attempts at disruption. Treating cybersecurity like public safety keeps the focus on people, continuity of services, and trust.

10 Simple Actions to Stay Ready for a Digital Storm

Here is a quick checklist you can share with any department: DPW, Police, Fire, Schools, Finance, or Administration.

• • Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) everywhere. Start with email, finance, and remote access. Prioritize department heads and elected officials.
  • Keep backups you can actually restore. Have one offline copy and test your system restores quarterly.
  • Make a contact list. Plan for when email is down, print copies for all key staff.
  • Hold a 90‑minute practice drill. Walk through what happens if ransomware hits. Keep it brief and realistic.
  • Patch the important systems first. Focus on safety systems, water, payroll, and permitting.
  • Use stronger passwords or passkeys. A password manager can make this easy.
  • Turn on logging and alerts. Keep 90 days of sign‑in and system change logs.
  • Add a “cyber clause” to contracts. Require MFA, patching, and breach of notice from any vendor.
  • Prepare a plain‑language outage message. Write what you’ll tell residents before you need it.
  • Teach the call‑back rule. Never act on an unexpected email, call, or video without confirming.

The Digital Climate is Changing, Treat it like the Weather

AI-accelerated threats, rising losses, and ransomware’s stubborn grip make cyber a public-safety issue, not just an IT chore. The good news: trusted playbooks exist, and they’re sized for small teams and tight budgets.

How CSS and Augment Systems Work Together

Capital Strategic Solutions helps local leaders translate cybersecurity into everyday readiness, policy updates, tabletop exercises, crisis communications, and interdepartmental coordination that protect public trust.

Augment Systems provides practical, right‑sized information technology (IT) guidance, implementation and compliance solutions for towns and schools, prioritizing high‑impact steps like MFA, backups, and monitoring that small teams can manage.