Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cybersecurity Awareness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor Meredith Leidy urges residents to strengthen online security during Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Summary
Mayor Meredith Leidy highlighted rising cyberthreats to residents and local institutions, urged basic protections — including two-factor authentication and unique passwords — and invited the public to a cybersecurity presentation at a mayor's coffee on Oct. 11.
Mayor Meredith Leidy urged Northland residents to take simple steps to protect themselves online during October, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and announced a cybersecurity presentation at the mayor's coffee on Oct. 11.
Leidy said criminals are using more-sophisticated scams that target schools, cities, businesses and individuals, and she asked residents to "think before you click" on suspicious messages and to adopt basic protections such as unique passwords, a password manager and two-factor authentication.
"October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a reminder that online safety affects all of us," Mayor Meredith Leidy said. "Here in Northland, our IT team has strong systems to protect city operations, but many scams target individuals at home. Criminals have moved far beyond the old Nigerian prince emails." She added: "Turn on two-factor authentication. Think before you click suspicious links. Use strong, unique passwords or a password manager, keep your devices updated."
Why this matters: Leidy said current attacks are more sophisticated and can arrive by phishing email, text or phone call that looks legitimate. That threat affects individuals directly and can also disrupt institutions such as schools and city operations if attackers succeed.
Details and resources: Leidy listed federal and private sources for practical guidance, naming the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), KnowBe4 and Ready.gov as places residents can find tips on recognizing and avoiding scams. She encouraged residents to attend the mayor's coffee on Oct. 11 for a presentation on cybersecurity.
Discussion vs. action: The message was an informational announcement rather than a request for formal council action. No motions, votes or policy changes were discussed or taken during this address.
Local context and next steps: The mayor framed the guidance as personal steps residents can take to reduce their risk and as a complement to protections maintained by the city's IT team. The mayor's office will host the Oct. 11 presentation to provide more information to the public.
For more information: Leidy directed residents to the cited organizations for guidance and invited the public to the Oct. 11 mayor's coffee for a live presentation on cybersecurity.
