We are thrilled to announce the official publication of a critical new resource: the Local Government Officials Guide to Cybersecurity (LGOGC)!
This project was developed by the Local Government Cybersecurity Alliance (LGCA) specifically to empower elected and appointed officials—from supervisors and council members to city managers and agency heads—to effectively navigate the increasingly complex world of cyber risk.
Moving Beyond the Technical Jargon
Cybersecurity is not just an IT department problem; it is an enterprise-wide, whole-of-government issue that impacts finance, legal compliance, emergency services, and public trust.
The LGOGC cuts through technical jargon to focus on what matters most to community leaders: governance, accountability, and resilience. This guide was truly built by and for local government professionals, ensuring every concept is practical and immediately relevant to your fiduciary duty to protect the systems that serve your communities.
The LGOGC provides a clear, actionable framework to help local leaders translate responsibility into practical action. Inside, you’ll find guidance to:
Integrate cybersecurity into your strategic and budget planning.
Strengthen oversight and reporting mechanisms.
Align your efforts with nationally recognized frameworks, such as NIST CSF 2.0.
Build a culture of cyber resilience that spans all departments and elected offices.
Download and Share Your Feedback
We believe that making cybersecurity governance as natural and necessary as financial oversight is achievable in every county, city, town, village, and district. This guide is a huge step toward that goal.
We invite your feedback!Tell us how your jurisdiction is addressing these challenges and what resources would be most valuable to you next in our community forum or white paper.
Cyberattacks are not random acts of digital vandalism—they are calculated, purposeful, and often deeply strategic. To effectively defend against these threats, local governments must understand not just how hackers operate, but why they do it. The motivations behind cyberattacks are as diverse as the actors themselves, ranging from financial greed to ideological warfare.
Why Motivation Matters
To build stronger defenses, local government leaders must not only know who is behind cyber incidents, but also why they occur:
Prioritize defenses based on threat likelihood.
Identify high-risk assets and systems.
Tailor incident response plans to attacker profiles.
Improve staff awareness and training.
Motivations Behind Cyber Threats
Motivation
Actors
What They Do
Examples
Financial Gain
Organized Crime, Cybercriminals, Insiders
Extort money, steal data for resale, manipulate systems for profit
Ransomware (REvil, Conti), BEC scams, data breaches, cryptojacking
Political Activism
Hacktivists, Nation-States
Target governments or corporations to advance political agendas
Website defacement, leaks tied to causes (e.g., Flint water crisis, Ukraine conflict)
Steal sensitive data or intellectual property for strategic advantage
APT10 targeting defense contractors, research theft
Terrorism & Disruption
Cyber Terrorists, Nation-States
Attack infrastructure to cause fear or instability
Power grid sabotage, water system disruption
Ideological Motive
Hacktivists, Insiders
Attack perceived enemies of their beliefs
Data leaks targeting anti-abortion groups or political dissenters
Mischief & Thrill-Seeking
Script Kiddies
Launch attacks for fun, curiosity, or recognition
DDoS attacks, website defacement, bragging rights
Retaliation & Grudge
Insiders, Hacktivists
Seek revenge against organizations or individuals
Disgruntled employees leaking data or sabotaging systems
Social Change
Hacktivists
Promote civil disobedience or social justice
Attacks tied to BLM, environmental protests, anti-censorship
Implications for Local Governments
Understanding the motivations behind cyberattacks is not just an academic exercise—it’s a practical necessity for local government leaders. Each motivation corresponds to different tactics, targets, and levels of sophistication. For example:
Financially motivated attackers may exploit vulnerabilities in payment systems, tax databases, or procurement platforms.
Politically motivated actors might target law enforcement, election systems, or public health departments to make a statement or disrupt operations.
Insiders with grievances could misuse access to leak sensitive data or sabotage systems from within.
This diversity in threat profiles means that a one-size-fits-all approach to cybersecurity is insufficient. Local governments must tailor their defenses to the specific risks they face, based on the motivations most likely to target their operations.
Turning Insight into Action
To effectively counter these threats, municipalities should adopt a motivation-aware cybersecurity strategy. Here are key steps to consider:
1. Threat Modeling Based on Motivation
Map out which motivations are most relevant to your organization. For example, if your agency handles sensitive personal data, financial gain and espionage may be top concerns. If your work intersects with controversial public policies, ideological motives and hacktivism may be more likely.
2. Layered Defense Architecture
Implement multiple layers of security controls—technical, administrative, and physical—to protect against both external and internal threats. This includes firewalls, endpoint protection, access controls, and data encryption.
3. Insider Risk Management
Develop policies and monitoring systems to detect and prevent insider threats. This includes background checks, access reviews, and behavioral analytics to identify anomalies.
4. Staff Training and Awareness
Educate employees on the tactics used by different threat actors. Tailored training can help staff recognize phishing attempts, social engineering, and suspicious behavior.
5. Incident Response Planning
Prepare for different types of attacks by creating scenario-based response plans. A ransomware attack requires a different response than a politically motivated data leak or a DDoS attack launched for mischief.
Cybersecurity is not just about technology—it’s about understanding human intent. By recognizing the motivations behind cyberattacks, local governments can build smarter, more resilient defenses that protect public trust and ensure continuity of services.
Cybersecurity is no longer a niche concern—it’s a frontline issue for local governments. From ransomware attacks that paralyze public services to data breaches that expose sensitive resident information, the threat landscape is growing more complex and dangerous. At the heart of this digital battleground are the cyber threat actors, often referred to as “bad actors.” These individuals or groups exploit technology to conduct malicious activities such as hacking, phishing, and malware deployment.
Bad Actors vs. Defenders: The Asymmetry of Cyber Conflict
The economic dynamics of cybersecurity are starkly imbalanced. Attackers only need to succeed once, while defenders must be flawless every time. This asymmetry creates a daunting challenge for local government cybersecurity teams.
Low Cost of Entry for Attackers: The barrier to entry for launching cyberattacks has never been lower. On the dark web, malicious tools and services are readily available for purchase or rent. For example:
Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) platforms allow even non-technical criminals to deploy sophisticated attacks.
Phishing kits with pre-built templates and spoofing tools can be bought for under $50.
DDoS-for-hire services can be used to overwhelm public websites or internal systems for as little as $200.
High Cost for Defenders: In contrast, defenders must secure every endpoint, every user, and every system—24/7. Even a single overlooked vulnerability can lead to catastrophic consequences. For local governments, this means:
Maintaining up-to-date patches across legacy systems that may not be easily upgradeable.
Training staff to recognize and report phishing attempts, despite high turnover or limited cybersecurity awareness.
Monitoring networks for anomalies, often without a dedicated security operations center (SOC).
Complying with regulations and reporting requirements, which add administrative overhead.
This uneven playing field means attackers can afford to be opportunistic, while defenders must maintain constant vigilance.
The Imbalance in Risk and Reward
This asymmetry creates a risk-reward imbalance:
Aspect
Attackers
Defenders
Cost
Low (tools are cheap or free)
High (tools, staff, training, compliance)
Effort
One successful exploit is enough
Must defend all vectors, all the time
Risk
Often anonymous, low legal risk
High accountability, legal and reputational consequences
Scale
Can automate and replicate attacks
Must tailor defenses to each system and user
For defenders, the cost of failure is steep:
Financial Losses: Ransom payments, recovery costs, and lost revenue.
Reputational Damage: Loss of public trust, especially if resident data is compromised.
Operational Disruption: Downtime in essential services like emergency response, utilities, or public records.
Legal and Regulatory Penalties: Non-compliance with data protection laws can result in fines and audits.
Types of Cyber Threat Actors
Understanding the motivations, capabilities, and tactics of cyber threat actors is essential for building resilient defenses—especially for local governments that manage sensitive data and critical infrastructure. These actors vary widely in sophistication, intent, and impact, but each poses a unique risk to public sector organizations.
Type of Actor
Who They Are
What They Do
Motivation
Nation-States
Government-backed groups with extensive resources and strategic objectives.
Launch Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), conduct espionage, disrupt infrastructure, and manipulate political systems.
Each actor type presents unique risks, and their tactics evolve constantly. Defenders must understand the Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) used by adversaries to stay ahead.
What Local Government Leaders Can Do
To counter this imbalance, local government must:
Prioritize cybersecurity as a strategic risk, not just an IT issue.
Invest in layered defenses, including endpoint protection, network segmentation, and incident response planning.
Foster a culture of security awareness across all departments.
Leverage partnerships with state and federal cybersecurity agencies for threat intelligence and support.
Local Government Cybersecurity Alliance 
