SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION CALLING FOR HEARINGS ON CITY OF CHICAGO'S CYBERSECURITY
WHEREAS, Ransomware attacks have increased across the globe by 201% since 2020; and
WHEREAS, In response to the rise of cybersecurity threats throughout the Nation, President Biden signed an Executive Order on May 12, 2021 to combat the problem; and
WHEREAS, President Biden's Executive Order, among many things, will modernize and implement more robust cybersecurity standards in the federal government and create a standard playbook for responding to cyber-attacks; and
WHEREAS, The federal government recognizes the need to actively combat cyber incidents, and so should the City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, earlier this year, cybercriminals hacked an email transfer device utilized by a third-party vendor, which provided access to tens of thousands of alleged city official emails to and from members of the Mayor's administration; and
WHEREAS, The City's Department of Assets, Information and Services is tasked with ensuring that appropriate cybersecurity measures are in place; and
WHEREAS, Any breach could lead to ransom demands by cybercriminals and raises concern over the security of the City's digital networks; and
WHEREAS, The City should be equipped to handle a sophisticated cyber-attack because failure to do so can encourage bad actors to use criminal means to gain information and cost taxpayers millions of dollars; and, now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Members of the City Council, call the Committee on Economic, Capital, and Technology Development to hold open hearings and/or briefings to review and evaluate the City of Chicago's cybersecurity protocols and the technology in place.
Gilbert Villegas Alderman, 36th Ward