Massachusetts towns are the targets of unrelenting cyberattacks. On June 17, 2026, Wayland’s IT Director Nick Lombardi, and project manager Michele Rosen presented an overview of Wayland’s cybersecurity at the League of Women Voters Annual Meeting. They reported that towns, police departments, public school districts, and even a municipal light department in Massachusetts have been held hostage by ransomware, putting public records and personal financial data at risk.
Cybersecurity and privacy are interconnected issues, and the forum provided space for airing privacy concerns, including some not directly under the purview of the Town’s IT department. The audience was especially focused on the use of cameras in public places:
- The Wayland IT Department hosts camera systems in several locations, including the drop-off ballot box at Town Hall and the DPW facility. The discussion centered around the purposes of such cameras, and who is allowed (and who decides who is allowed) to view footage from the cameras.
- Nearby towns (such as Framingham) are hosting privately-owned license plate reader systems which are shared with law enforcement and, for a fee, with private businesses. . These track license plates throughout the town. The discussion covered concerns over which private parties, and which town, state, and federal agencies are allowed to view footage and for what purposes.
Members of the League also encouraged increased public discussion of the technology and cybersecurity needs of the Town as well as of policies related to the use of cameras. The IT Department’s presentation was thorough and detailed—the slide deck is available at Wayland Cybersecurity Briefing for LWV of Wayland 2026 Annual Meeting
League of Women Voters of Wayland 