‘Cybersecurity risks and incidents are our new reality’: City of Bend hires first information security manager

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The city of Bend is taking proactive measures to protect the data of its employees and citizens, including hiring its first information security manger.

Adam Young recently stepped into the role after serving as the city's Office 365 administrator for five years.

Young is now responsible for maintaining the city's cybersecurity program to detect, prevent and respond to threats, both for employees and the public.

Chief Innovation Officer Stephanie Betteridge, Young's supervisor, says the city was motivated to create the new role because cyberattacks have become a daily occurrence for many cities, businesses and schools. They can be incredibly disruptive.

"We wanted to make sure that as an organization we're doing everything within our means to keep our systems and data safe and secure." Betteridge said.

Young explained that whether if you're in a larger city or one the size of Bend, anyone could be vulnerable to one of these cyberattacks.

“These threats are coming everywhere," Young said. "They’re coming to small businesses and small cities and counties especially, because the threat actors are trying to attack people who might not have a mature type of security program.”

There are many simple ways people can keep their personal information safe, such as locking your credit reports or using password managers. People also should avoid clicking on suspicious links or notifications.