NACo Cyberattack Simulation: Medical Ransomware
Presented by the NACo County Tech Xchange and Professional Development Academy
The advent of technology in the healthcare sector has revolutionized patient care, but it has also brought forth unprecedented challenges, notably the growing threat of medical ransomware attacks. These malicious incursions not only disrupt healthcare services but also jeopardize patient data security and compromise the integrity of medical institutions. Understanding the intricacies and potential ramifications of such attacks is critical for effective mitigation and preparedness. This cyber simulation focuses on medical ransomware, aimed at comprehensively examining its impact on healthcare systems, especially as they relate to different local government relationships, such as jails and nursing homes. The simulation involves replicating realistic scenarios of ransomware infiltrations within medical environments, considering various attack vectors. The simulation aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding medical ransomware attacks and provide a platform for refining response strategies and enhancing resilience against such threats.
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County Tech Xchange
The NACo County Tech Xchange is an online portal designed to connect county CIOs, IT Directors, CISOs, and other county IT leadership. This portal provides valuable resources in a central location that counties can use to improve their overall technology infrastructure.
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From Concept to Impact: How Counties are Successfully Evaluating the Use of AI
AI is transforming county government, but responsible adoption requires more than enthusiasm. In late 2025, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) partnered with CAI to tackle a critical question: how can counties objectively evaluate AI tools for cost, security, data protection, and real-world fit? The answer became the GovAI Trustmark, a first-of-its-kind AI certification framework built by and for county government, launched in the spring of 2026. In this NACo webinar, the practitioners who were part of the workgroup will share the process in building this online evaluation dashboard and how it can work for counties nationwide.