Maryland's Cyber Security Strategy: Avoid Boneheaded Mistakes

State and local governments can't prevent hackers from trying to break into its systems. But they can make sure employees don't make the task any easier for attackers.

Too often when governments are hacked, the reason is simple.

"Someone on our side made a boneheaded mistake," said Elliot Schlanger, Maryland's director of cyber security.

Gov. Martin O'Malley created the cyber security chief role in August 2013, tapping Schlanger, who also had been the state's first IT secretary. Schlanger's job has been to develop a better strategy to protect the state from cyber threats.

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