Technology services reports on auditor vulnerability scans, AT&T analog-line retirements and ongoing work for central dispatch

Eric, Eaton County’s technology services director, briefed the Ways and Means Committee on May 16 on several technology and security items, including coordinated vulnerability scanning, work to reduce recurring telecommunications costs and the status of central-dispatch upgrades.

Eric said auditors and their contractor are using more advanced vulnerability-scanning tools and that the state is considering providing similar scanning capabilities to counties on an ongoing basis rather than only during triennial audits. He said Eaton County had already invested in some scanning tools, but the auditors’ tools were more advanced.

On telecom costs, Eric updated commissioners on an AT&T analog-line contract the county had previously estimated would run close to $40,000 a month for elevator and nonemergency lines. He reported the elevator lines had been terminated about two weeks earlier, which eliminated that portion of the liability, and that the circuit for central dispatch was scheduled to be activated imminently, with equipment work expected Monday after the meeting.

Eric also summarized an ongoing security-awareness training campaign: roughly 430 phishing-test emails were sent to staff, 21 clicked and 84 staff members reported the test email to the security team. He said completion rates for mandatory training have trended downward over time and that, while training is encouraged, there is no enforcement policy tied to completion at this time.

Eric reported that during the previous night’s storm the county suffered a power outage but that battery backups and generators held; he said a small piece of equipment experienced an outage but was restored and that remote stations (including Delta Township) held operations under UPS and generator continuity.

Eric’s presentation also included a status update on county aerial imagery vendors and expected delivery timing for sample imagery and full product delivery later in the year.