Focus Area Three

Focus Area Three provides innovative enterprise-wide technology support and solutions to enhance efficiency, strengthen cybersecurity and power data-informed decision-making.

IT's Cybersecurity Program

IT takes the security of the City's data very seriously. As such, we have a three-pronged cybersecurity program to ensure all data remains secure. 

Technology Safeguards & Physical Barriers

  • Antivirus, web filtering, intrusion protection and firewall/bot-net filtering software or appliances work together to block unauthorized access to our network, prevent access to malicious websites, monitor inbound and outbound network traffic for suspicious activities and stop them if found and quarantine malicious documents or emails.
  • Access to our sensitive, mission-critical data and computer infrastructure is restricted to authorized individuals only.
  • A policy detailing the acceptable use of City resources is strictly enforced.
  • Each employee is given a unique user ID and password which limits their access to application systems and data that apply directly to their work responsibilities.
  • Security and other updates to software and appliances are applied to guard against the latest intrusion efforts.
  • Doors into IT office spaces are locked. Authorized employees can access using a card key, but visitors and guests must be recognized and escorted. Access to the data center, which contains server, network, communication and data storage equipment, is restricted to authorized support staff only.

Cybersecurity TeamCitywide Culture Change

IT is emphasizing user awareness and training; in this way, we encourage all users to be a part of the solution.

  • Employees must create a complex password that is a minimum length and must contain a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. Passwords must be changed every 90 days.
  • Employees are informed of immediate threats through our SOS (Secure Our System) communiques.
  • IT staff brief new employees about cybersecurity issues during the biweekly new employee orientation sessions hosted by Human Resources.
  • The success of our training is tested by sending "spoof" emails to employees to learn if some are falling into phishing traps.

The Cybersecurity Team

IT's cybersecurity team practices continuous vigilance in detecting and preventing threats on our network by:

  • Monitoring employee moves and terminations and removes access when they are no longer authorized.
  • Responsible for establishing cybersecurity policies and procedures, selecting and supporting security software and appliances, monitoring user compliance and detecting and analyzing threats.

Smart City Plan

A Smart City is a city that brings digital information and the internet of things to all aspects of daily and business life. Smart cities are magnets for high-value jobs, talent, creativity, and investment. A Smart Norfolk will:

  • Create a digitally connected public and infrastructure
  • Develop new business opportunities to drive growth
  • Encourage tech-savvy individuals to make Norfolk their home
  • Lead to greater efficiency and productivity
  • Offer a higher quality of life for residents

Innovative Technology to Bring Cost-Effective Connectivity to Norfolk's Economic Development Offices

When technology obstacles threatened to disrupt Economic Development's move to the Dominion Tower building, IT staff developed an innovative solution such as:

  • The building had no city fiber to support those operations.
  • Installing city fiber was cost-prohibitive.
  • Using the existing commercial fiber would have required changing all staff phone numbers, along with a steep monthly access fee.
  • IT staff brainstormed and developed an innovative solution: connectivity through a roof-to-roof microwave link between City Hall and Dominion Tower, which acts the same as a high-speed fiber network.

Advantage Financial Management System (AFMS)

IT completed an upgrade to AFMS, a cloud-based hosted business application that provides a variety of enhanced features to increase citywide efficiencies with financial, purchasing and budgeting transactions. The upgrade ensures the most current software and hardware technology for improved cybersecurity, monetary and fiscal compliance.