- Executive Office of Technology Services and Security
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Christopher Smith, Director of Legislative and External Affairs
Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the participants in the 2026 Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Program, administered by the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (TSS) and its Office of Municipal and School Technology. The program will provide over 100,000 employees across over 300 municipalities, public safety organizations, and public-school districts with critical cybersecurity training to help them better detect and avoid cyber threats.
The Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Program supports local governments in strengthening their cyber readiness through comprehensive online end-user training, evaluation, and threat simulation. Now in its seventh year, the program has grown significantly, offering participating organizations licenses for end-user training, cybersecurity assessments, and phishing simulations procured by TSS.
Participants begin with an initial cyber strength assessment to establish a baseline understanding of cybersecurity practices. Throughout the program, periodic training modules and simulated phishing campaigns help employees build strong cyber hygiene habits and recognize deceptive tactics used by bad actors to gain unauthorized access to government systems. At the conclusion of the program, participants complete a final assessment to measure their progress and improved cyber awareness.
“Municipal governments deliver essential services every day, and protecting the systems behind those services is critical,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This cybersecurity training program ensures our municipal workforce has the knowledge and tools they need to prevent attacks and respond quickly when threats arise.”
“As a former longtime municipal official, I know that strong public sector cybersecurity starts at the local level, where communities rely on secure systems to keep residents safe and informed,” said Lt. Governor Kimberley Driscoll. “By investing in municipal training, we are empowering local leaders and staff to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and build long-term resilience.”
“Cybersecurity is a key area where we are able to partner across levels of government to make our state’s resources and purchasing power available,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder. “This training program helps ensure that municipal governments have the skills, awareness, and coordination needed to protect critical systems and serve residents securely."
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers this training program at no cost to municipal organizations, which also receive quarterly threat briefings and weekly newsletters featuring cybersecurity best practices and program updates from the TSS Office of Municipal and School Technology. In addition, municipal IT officials receive monthly progress reports detailing how many employees clicked on simulated malicious links, providing critical insight into the evolving threat landscape.
In addition to the Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Program, the Healey-Driscoll Administration offers a number of other programs to further support municipal officials in their cybersecurity and information technology modernization efforts, including a Free Cybersecurity Health Check Program, the Community Compact IT Grant Program, and the Community Compact Municipal Fiber Grant Program.
For more information on the full list of municipal cybersecurity and IT program offerings from the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security’s Office of Municipal and School Technology, visit the OMST page.
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