WARREN — Trumbull County Auditor Martha Yoder brought attention to a new state law aimed at protecting the county’s computer systems during Tuesday’s Trumbull County Commission weekly workshop.

Ohio House Bill 96, which takes effect Sept. 30, requires all counties, cities and townships in Ohio to create a cybersecurity program to guard against hackers and dangerous ransomware attacks.

Yoder explained that the law is designed to keep the county’s data safe and secure. “This program is about protecting our information and technology so they’re always available, private and accurate,” she said.

The county must have its cybersecurity plan ready by Jan. 1, which Yoder noted is coming up quickly.

One of the biggest requirements of House Bill 96 is that all county employees who use computers must complete cybersecurity training. Chief Deputy Auditor Tim Hannaford, who also serves as the county’s IT director, said the training will be provided by the Ohio Cyber Range Institute at the University of Cincinnati.

“This isn’t just for work,” Hannaford said. “It’s knowledge employees can use to protect themselves at home too.”

The training will teach employees how to spot cyber threats, like phishing emails or suspicious links, and how to keep the county’s systems safe. Hannaford also mentioned that the county must create a plan to handle cyber incidents, such as ransomware attacks, where hackers lock up a computer system and demand money to unlock it. The law requires counties to report any cyber incidents to the state and to have secure backups of their data to avoid paying ransoms.

Yoder emphasized that the cybersecurity program itself will not be shared with the public. “This is our protection for the county,” she said, explaining that keeping the details private helps prevent hackers from finding weaknesses.

The commissioners were asked to approve a resolution next week to allow Yoder’s office and the county prosecutor’s office to start creating the cybersecurity program. Commissioner Denny Malloy confirmed they would need to officially authorize the plan once it’s ready.

“We’re the ones who have to approve it,” he said.

While the training itself is free, Yoder noted there could be indirect costs, like the time it takes for employees to complete it. Hannaford also hinted that future cybersecurity needs might require additional funding, possibly through grants, to keep the county’s systems up to date.