Huber Heights’ information technology (IT) department is projecting an annual cost of $357,000 per year through 2027 for various cybersecurity items and initiatives, city officials say.
“All of the projected $357,000 is projected to be spent on software, network support and configuration, staff training and continuing cybersecurity awareness programs,” said city spokeswoman Sarah Williams. “(Prior to this year), there was no specific line in the CIP to address those cybersecurity items.”
Beginning in 2028, projected annual cybersecurity costs increase to $385,000 through 2030, according to the CIP.
The cybersecurity initiatives are part of the CIP’s estimated $3 million projection for total IT department spending.
Other outlined IT improvements proposed in the plan include various outdate tech upgrades and maintenance.
While the CIP is not a budget and does not commit funding for any specific purchase, it serves as a five-year outlook for anticipated capital projects, and is reviewed and updated annually.
“The CIP process helps provide a standard process and method of proposing the planning and financing of capital improvements, and makes capital expenditures more responsible to community needs by informing and involving the public,” CIP council documents say.
A Nov. 12, 2023, ransomware attack took down multiple Huber Heights government systems and functions, compromising the personal data of more than 5,000 people and forcing the city to spend $350,000 in recovery efforts.
Since then, the city has “completely overhauled and replaced” its entire network infrastructure, Williams said.
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