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Return on Mitigation Is a Concept Worth Understanding

Everyone seems to understand intuitively that cyberattacks are bad news, especially in the public sector. A ransomware attack could render an emergency communications center’s networks and systems inoperable for hours, days, weeks, even months, preventing the handling of 911 calls and the dispatching of life-saving response.

Topics: Cybersecurity

Commercial Wireless Outages Will Keep Happening — Here’s How to Prepare

Last week, AT&T’s commercial wireless network suffered an outage that affected tens of thousands of AT&T customers in multiple locations nationwide. The company issued a statement that the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, which initially was feared, but rather a network expansion process that went awry.

Key Takeaways from NENA’s NG9-1-1 Standards & Best Practices Conference

Recently, Mission Critical Partners’ subject-matter experts Bonnie Maney, Sherri Griffith Powell, and Gordon Vanauken participated in the NG9-1-1 Standards & Best Practices Conference presented by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).

As Air Travel Increases, So Must Cybersecurity Vigilance

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declared an end to the COVID-19 pandemic last May. The best evidence that the pandemic truly is over may be the continuing surge in air travel.

Topics: Cybersecurity

A Few Words of Praise and Gratitude for Joe Wheeler

Next February, Mission Critical Partners celebrates the 15th anniversary of its founding. From the beginning, the firm has been sharply focused on the public-safety sector. But MCP’s leaders intuitively understood even back then that the public-safety sector has an equally important counterpart — the justice sector. Less understood was the relationship between the sectors and, more importantly, how they need to interact.

Let the Buyer Beware' Is a Good Adage to Embrace as It Pertains to Cybersecurity

Virtually everyone these days purchases goods and services via the internet because it is so easy and convenient, and often less costly. This is especially true during the holiday gift-giving season. The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that in the United States, ecommerce in November and December alone will range between $957.3

Topics: Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: Apache Struts Framework Vulnerability

As part of our effort to inform our clients about potential and serious cybersecurity issues, MCP provides advisories about vulnerabilities and exploits that could threaten the operations of their critical communications networks. Sign up to receive these advisories in your inbox as soon as they are released.

Topics: Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Needs to Be as Offensive as It Is Defensive

The adage “the best defense is a good offense” is often attributed to Knute Rockne, the legendary football coach who roamed the sidelines at the University of Notre Dame early in the last century. But that might be incorrect.

Topics: Cybersecurity

AI-Driven Amazon Connect is Worth a Look, Especially by Emergency Communications Centers

A recent blog offered an overview regarding how artificial intelligence (AI) might be leveraged by public-safety and justice organizations. It’s a topic that we explored in depth during our fourth annual Conference for Advancing the Public Sector (CAPS)

Key Takeaways from the 2023 Courts Technology Conference — Part 3

This is the final blog in a three-part series that offers takeaways gathered by MCP subject-matter experts who attended the recent 2023 Court Technology Conference presented by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC).

Key Takeaways from the 2023 Courts Technology Conference — Part 2

This is the second blog offers additional takeaways gathered by MCP subject-matter experts who attended the recent 2023 Court Technology Conference presented by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC).

Common Cybersecurity Mistakes And How to Prevent Them

Last month, MCP presented its fourth annual Conference for Advancing the Public Sector (CAPS), a virtual event during which our subject-matter experts and those from across the public-safety/justice ecosystem explored today’s most compelling challenges and opportunities.

Topics: Cybersecurity