Ohio’s New Cybersecurity Standards for Local Governments: What You Need to Know

Cybersecurity is no longer a “nice to have” for local governments—it’s now a legal and operational requirement. The State of Ohio has officially released new cybersecurity standards for local government entities, signaling a major shift in how municipalities must secure their systems, data, and digital services.

Whether you’re managing a township, a city, a county agency, or a school district, these new standards apply to you. And the clock is ticking.

🚨 What’s Changing?

The new rules—issued by the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS)—establish minimum cybersecurity requirements for public-facing systems and networks used by local government organizations. They are designed to address the growing number of cyberattacks targeting public sector agencies and critical infrastructure.

Key areas covered in the standards include:

• Encryption of data at rest and in transit
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for system access
• Patch management to reduce known vulnerabilities
• Logging and monitoring of network activity
• Vendor oversight with security requirements in third-party contracts
• Incident response planning and documentation
• Annual compliance attestation to the state

This is not a recommendation—it’s a mandate.

🧩 Why It Matters

Ransomware, phishing, and nation-state cyber threats are increasingly targeting local government systems. With limited resources and outdated infrastructure, many local entities are struggling to keep up. The new standards provide a clear roadmap for improving cyber hygiene and reducing risk—but they also bring accountability.

Non-compliance can lead to:

• Audit findings and funding consequences
• Insurance policy limitations or denial of coverage
• Increased risk of operational downtime and data breaches
• Legal liability following a cyber incident

🛠️ What Should Local Governments Do Now?

Here’s where to begin:

1. Assess Your Current Posture
   Conduct a cybersecurity assessment to determine where you stand against the new standards.
2. Implement the Essentials
   Prioritize MFA, patch management, encryption, and centralized logging. These controls reduce the majority of threats.
3. Update Policies and Plans
   Ensure your incident response plan, vendor agreements, and user access policies align with the new requirements.
4. Prepare for Reporting
   DAS will require annual attestations of compliance and may request documentation in the event of an incident.
5. Engage a Trusted Partner
   If you don’t have internal cyber expertise, don’t go it alone. SecureCyber offers a tailored “Ohio Cyber Compliance Kit” to help you fast-track your readiness and simplify compliance.

🎙️ Hear More on the Podcast

Want to dive deeper? Listen to our latest episode of “Securing Local Government”, where we break down the new Ohio cyber rules in plain language and share advice for compliance:

▶️ Listen on Apple Podcasts
▶️ Listen on Spotify

📅 Upcoming Free Webinar

We’re hosting a live webinar to help Ohio’s local leaders understand the new standards, what they mean, and how to comply quickly and affordably.

🗓️ Date: July 10, 2025
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Eastern
📍 Location: Microsoft Teams
🎟️ Register Here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/9d8c97da-efbc-4bd3-b1ab-1e115897c450@ce23d004-c83c-410f-9ac4-e889772351dc

Questions? Reach out today at www.secdef.com or call 937-388-4405.

Together, let’s protect Ohio’s local governments from the threats that put our communities at risk.