Most people are comfortable with cyberattacks on the Ashley Madison dating site Sony Pictures and others.

It is an issue. Whicker estimates there are “thousands” of assaults per week on the other side of the state.

Officials are worried about everything from accessibility to computer control of services to advice on a large number of residents.

“That is going to shut down our primary connection, and that is 911, that is everything. I mean, that is everything, that is our conduit outside to the planet,” said Whicker.

Officials are concerned the impact on infrastructure like control and water service of the power grid.

I-T professionals from the other side of the state assembled for the training this week in Wentworth.

They are motivated to try to find methods to break their systems.

Johnson says they could be recreational hackers, like a Polish teenager who used a TV remote that is modified to hack into a a few departures, causing crashes and a railway system

Or they are able to be professionals, with gain as the motivation.

One thing that’s clear from the courses is the fact that the problem of cyberattacks is a moving target and training and continuous vigilance is required.

Increasingly, local agencies share info regarding cyberattacks.

“It helps cyberattacks target, and see the exact same strike from this IP address, from this place,” said Whicker.

It will help bureaus and the issue fight.