Press Releases

Washington D.C. –The Public Technology Institute (PTI), part of the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), today released the results of its annual cybersecurity survey of city and county government technology leaders from around the nation at the group’s Cyber Leader Summit.

PTI, which has been conducting the survey for the last five years, interviewed 95 professionals who work for local governments of all sizes as part of the 2020 National Survey of Local Government Cybersecurity Programs.

“We know cybersecurity is incredibly important to local tech leaders,” said Dr. Alan Shark, Executive Director of PTI. “This year we asked professionals on the front lines how the ongoing pandemic is affecting their operations, as well as how they are prioritizing their spending on new technology and even cybersecurity initiatives.”

Some of the more significant results from this year’s survey include:

• The majority (82%) of tech leaders said their local governments have cybersecurity plans or strategies in place.
• Only 23% of those surveyed said their elected officials are actively engaged in cybersecurity efforts. Another 23% said their elected officials were not engaged at all and more than half (54%) said their elected officials were only somewhat engaged.
• Most (78%) of the tech executives said their governments have some sort of cyber insurance.
• When it comes to funding cybersecurity efforts, 66% said they do not have adequate financial support from city or county budgets.
• The majority (54%) of tech leaders said their governments maintain a formal incident response and disaster recovery plan.

The 2020 National Survey of Local Government Cybersecurity Programs is available for download here.

About PTI
Established in 1971 by several major national associations representing state and local governments and now powered by CompTIA, the Public Technology Institute (PTI) has been viewed as the focal point for thought leaders who have a passion for the furtherance and wise deployment of technology. PTI actively supports local government officials through research, education, professional development, consulting services, and national recognition programs.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5.2 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.