Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., Considers Its Cyber Readiness

The Select Board of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, weighed the town's readiness for a potential cyberattack, following technology outages and breaches in other Massachusetts communities. Vice Chair Catherine Bilotta raised the issue at the board's Sept. 21 meeting, citing a severe cyberattack on Springfield Public Schools that kept 23,000 students out of classes for four days, and a Sept. 6 cybersecurity incident in Everett that led to municipal offices closing the next day. Bilotta requested a formal briefing from the town administrator or finance director on emergency and backup procedures, while Town Administrator Tony Barletta said Manchester takes part in the Danvers Collaborative, which provides cybersecurity training and protective infrastructure.