Chattooga County is partnering with the University of Georgia to strengthen its cybersecurity through the UGA CyberArch Program, a statewide initiative that helps local governments identify vulnerabilities, assess risk and improve their digital defenses.

Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Andy Allen said the partnership will provide the county with access to cybersecurity expertise that would otherwise be difficult for a rural county to obtain. Under the agreement, CyberArch staff will work with county officials to review existing systems, conduct pre-assessment surveys, perform onsite or virtual evaluations and provide a final report outlining cybersecurity risks and recommendations.

Allen said protecting sensitive government information and critical systems is a priority, noting that cybersecurity is no longer an issue local governments can afford to ignore. The program is designed to strengthen safeguards for county operations while helping ensure residents’ information remains secure.

Assessment work is expected to begin later this summer. According to the agreement, there is no cost to Chattooga County for CyberArch program services, with each party responsible only for its own expenses.

The agreement was signed earlier this month by Commissioner Andy Allen.