Memorandum  PERAC Memo #30: Cybersecurity Training

Date:	11/26/2024
Referenced Sources:	Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program 2025 MCAGP Information Session Grant Program Application

Memorandum

TO:                  All Retirement Boards

FROM:            William T. Keefe, Executive Director

RE:                 Cybersecurity Training

DATE:            November 26, 2024

We are pleased to inform retirement board administrators and staff again this year that a free cybersecurity training offered by the state’s Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) is available to you.

The program is called the Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program. There is an optional informational webinar on December 17^th at 10:00 a.m. More information, webinar registration and the application are all available at the above link. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all licenses have been awarded. EOTSS encourages applications to be filed as soon as possible.

Several retirement boards have participated in the program and found it beneficial without being overbearing. The program offers participants the opportunity to complete customized cybersecurity trainings which emphasize best practices, interactive modules, and simulated attacks. We believe this emphasis on end-user training is well worth the time investment to ensure that staff is taking the necessary measures to protect member information, and system data.

Each participant must have an email address tied to the retirement board’s web domain and not a generic address such as Gmail or Yahoo. Also, each participating retirement board needs to designate a contact/local coordinator who will attend a training session and act as the point person for this program.

This is the sixth year of the Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Training program. It has been well received and many agencies are repeat customers as the materials change. Thanks to EOTSS Secretary Jason Snyder for making this program again available to retirement boards. [e-mail].