Cybersecurity Performance Audit

June 10, 2025
August 4, 2020

What are cyberattacks? The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines a cyberattack as “an attack, via cyberspace, targeting an enterprise’s use of cyberspace for the purpose of disrupting, disabling, destroying, or maliciously controlling a computing environment/infrastructure; or destroying the integrity of the data or stealing controlled information.” In short, it is a malicious or unauthorized activity that aims to access, disrupt, or destroy information systems or the information they hold. For example, an attack could steal data, compromise privacy, or disrupt operations. According to the King County Department of Information Technology, these incidents are common for every organization.

Is King County at risk? King County’s Office of Risk Management says it is very likely for King County to experience a significant electronic security breach within the next five years. In recent years, cyberattacks have affected many local government agencies, in some cases causing tens of millions of dollars in damages and widespread system outages.