New data reveals that 91 percent of first responders located in the U.S. have experienced cybersecurity-related issues in the past year like phishing, scam calls and malware attacks.
This annual study just released from Mark43, a cloud-native public safety software company, explored the pressing issues that first responders are facing with data security. This is the 2024 U.S. Public Safety Trends Report.
The ever-increasing number, severity and cost of cyberattacks is reflected in the concerns and experiences of first responders. Here, the report included the finding that 82 percent of personnel working in this sector worry that their organization’s data could be stolen or fall victim to ransomware. Based on these findings, it is likely that public safety professionals will want technology upgrades and adoption of federal standards for first responder IT security, reporting and efficiency.
In addition, the survey unearths that 92 percent of workers are concerned about how their agencies would handle a tactical response to cyberattacks or physical attacks at large-scale events. Scam calls and malware/viruses are now the leading cybersecurity concern for first responders, overtaking phishing from last year’s survey. Following this, 92 percent of first responders state they are somewhat or very concerned about how their agencies would handle a tactical response to cyberattacks or physical attacks at large-scale events like sports games, concerts and conventions.
The findings also established that 75 percent of people in this area reported that inefficient IT systems cause outages, delays and other malfunctions. Furthermore, public safety professionals have major concerns regarding natural disasters and power grid failures. This comes as 84 percent report that such events can overwhelm public safety agencies and impact the service they deliver to their community.
It is also apparent that emergency responders have experienced dispatch outages that impact response time. More than two-thirds (67 percent) of first responders have experienced dispatch outages, and 88 percent have experienced other IT malfunctions. Eighty-four percent of first responders using computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems have experienced a CAD outage that impacted response times, including over a third (35%) who experience CAD outages six to 10 times per year.
According to Matthew Polega, Co-founder and President, Mark4: “We heard a resounding response from first responders across the country: They are concerned about their public safety agency’s ability to withstand cyberattacks and natural disasters, given the ever-increasing number and severity of bad actors attacking public infrastructure as well as the uptick in extreme weather incidents.”
Polega adds: “Public safety professionals made it clear that they need access to modernized systems — like cloud-native CAD and RMS — to improve the security and resilience of their agencies, so they can respond faster to community members in need. Our 2024 U.S. Public Safety Trends Report shows that technology plays a central role in everything a public safety agency does, and by using Mark43 technology, police departments can improve the safety and quality of life for all.”
The overarching conclusion is that there is a clear urgency for more cost-effective solutions. This comes in the context that the global average cost of a data breach in 2023 was $4.45 million, a 15 percent increase over 3 years (as identified by IBM).
