“ I ’ m looking forward to our future . I know that everything we do within the IT division is for our citizenry ”
AUGUSTINE BOATENG INTERIM CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER , CITY OF MEMPHIS
our security posture . Balancing the technology deployment with strong cybersecurity measures is , for us , crucial to our long-term success and the resilience that we want to achieve .”
This is an issue close to his heart . Boateng , who started his career in his native Ghana , comes from a cybersecurity background . “ I take security very seriously ,” he tells us . As well as scrutinising every new partner and supplier , the city offers cybersecurity training twice a year to its staff .
Employees on the city ’ s payroll are not just administrators based at city hall ; they are teachers , police officers , public librarians and street cleaners . They are young , they are old . They are technologically savvy , and they are not . Ensuring that they receive timely and accurate information about current cybersecurity threats is incredibly important , not least because the amount of data held by the city makes it a prime target for hackers .
The city also tests users randomly to see how resilient they are , as many large organisations will do . When there are shortfalls or vulnerabilities , employees are re-educated to ensure they understand the most common tactics and are aware of what constitutes risky behaviour online – like clicking on a link from an unknown source .
“ We want to make sure our front gateway is as resilient as it can be , and people are able to identify phishing emails that come through or the tips and tricks that bad actors are trying to use .”
One thing that is helping to keep city employees safe online is the City of Memphis ’ partnership with email security software provider Ironscales .
130 January 2024