FAIRFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA

Fairfax County is the most populous jurisdiction in Virginia, with approximately

residents and 406 square miles of land

He says this makes“ our cybersecurity challenge unique and urgent”. One such challenge is the continued surge of ransomware and supply chain attacks.

“ Local governments often rely on interconnected systems, shared platforms and third-party vendors to deliver services, from courts and health systems to public safety, and that interconnectedness can become a liability if not managed with rigour,” Michael explains.

“ Equally important is the growing gap in cybersecurity talent. While threats are escalating, the competition for experienced cyber professionals is intense and local governments often can’ t match the private sector on salary. That puts even more emphasis on retention, culture and leadership development.”

Another challenge Michael cites is the misalignment between risk and authority. He argues that, often, CISOs are tasked with defending their enterprise, but don’ t actually have the executive authority or financial backing to make decisions that match risk level.

“ That’ s something I’ ve worked hard to change in Fairfax, because cybersecurity

must be treated as a leadership issue, not just a technical one,” he explains.

“ Emerging technologies like Gen AI also introduce both promise and peril. These tools can enhance efficiency and threat detection, but only if implemented with strong data governance, ethical oversight and clear boundaries.

“ That’ s why Fairfax has been proactive in developing policy guidance and guardrails for AI use, rather than waiting for mandates to catch up.”

In order to better position itself to tackle these issues, Fairfax County has built its cybersecurity programme around resilience, adaptability and leadership accountability. This is the

16 fairfaxcounty. gov