A critical defense against cyber attacks

Overwatch Foundation is helping the state and school districts protect critical systems

In recent years there has been a lot of talk about “cyber attacks.” These attacks — while very real — often occur under the radar in the guise of a deceptive email or a backdoor hack of an outdated computer system.

You may not see it, but cybercriminals and bad actors are, indeed, probing the defenses of our state, threatening the foundational institutions we rely on in the Granite State. Cybersecurity is not just about data privacy and financial losses; it is one of our largest emerging public safety issues.

Let’s think about it. We are heavily dependent on technology today; it’s everywhere and runs every critical aspect of life.

Like many things in life, you don’t realize what you’re missing until it’s gone.

In my work within cyber emergencies, I’ve witnessed the foundation of our way of life disappear without technology. Basic medical activities stop. Doctors can’t write prescriptions or perform surgery to save lives. Schools that have become heavily wired, with a generation of students fully immersed in technology, have to go back to the whiteboard. Water systems — that provide life sustaining services — can be compromised, putting reliable access to water at risk.

With this type of threat in mind, the Overwatch Foundation nonprofit was founded, with a mission to protect our republic and the critical infrastructure we rely on, the New Hampshire competitive advantage and the public trust.

In January 2024, the state of New Hampshire engaged the Overwatch Foundation to execute the .GOV “In a Box” and Community Water Cybersecurity “In a Box” programs — a turnkey approach to delivering grant-based services in cybersecurity, critical systems modernization, network and physical defense, training and workforce development for the benefit of New Hampshire’s local government entities. This approach is unique in our country, reflecting our state’s innovative approach to public-private partnerships.

Through the Cybersecurity “In a Box” programs, the Overwatch Foundation team, in close coordination with NHDES and NH-DOIT leaders, have completed a number of .GOV upgrades for local government entity email systems and websites, as well as water system upgrades for municipal waterworks, with dozens of other projects in progress. Every completed project means a safer and more secure community.

Recently, the state and The Overwatch Foundation kicked off the K-12 Cybersecurity “In a Box” program. Like our ongoing two programs, the K-12 effort will also be a “first in the nation” program for New Hampshire. Our schools face daily cyber threats and losses. In 2024 alone, dozens of cyber insurance claims were submitted by NH K-12 districts or SAUs, often reflecting serious financial losses, significant disruption to operations or exposure of sensitive data.

Our new K-12 Cybersecurity “In a Box” program makes available to each public K-12 district school and associated SAU a portfolio of cybersecurity services to ensure continuity of the K-12 education process for administrators, teachers and students alike, while improving K-12 cybersecurity by preventing ransomware attacks and data breaches, and enhancing the cyber hygiene of K-12 networks and systems to prevent business email compromises.

For local government entities interested in any of the .GOV, Water or K-12 “In a Box” programs, you can apply for grant services, ask questions and learn more about how your critical systems can be better protected at www.overwatch.org/learn-more. We would love the opportunity to serve you and protect your community!

Nearly two years into delivering these grant programs, one of the biggest challenges I still see ahead is how to make combating these risks approachable to the everyday citizens who haven’t experienced what we see daily. If we can avoid the numbness that often occurs the instant someone says “cyber,” there are so many things each of us can do to protect ourselves, our communities and places of work.

Our programs are designed to be approachable and meet you where you are, while also ensuring a true cyber risk improvement. Things are often boiled down to something as simple as “use this device and not your personal device,” “turn this switch to this position when you’re not working,” “toggle this setting to store detailed logs of activity on your network” or “upgrade just these critical users to more advanced features.”

Good community cyber hygiene is feasible, and I know our state has the will to take this challenge on. At Overwatch, we work closely with the staff of grant recipients to instill confidence in these necessary changes to ensure they last beyond the three years of our program design.

These problems are solvable. This state can protect and defend itself, and we all can lead and be a part of this. I hope you will join me and the team at Overwatch in this effort. Together, we can!

Alyssa C. Rosenzweig is the deputy director of the Overwatch Foundation.