Managing Editor

Benjamin Freed

Benjamin Freed was the managing editor of StateScoop and EdScoop, covering cybersecurity issues affecting state and local governments across the country. He wrote extensively about ransomware, election security and the federal government’s role in assisting states and cities with information security.

Articles by Author

cash — (Getty Images)

Counties’ concern over IT costs dropped during pandemic, survey will reveal

County & Local

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis in Denver in January 2021. (Michael Ciaglo / Getty Images)

Colorado Gov. Polis signs data privacy act

State

federal cybersecurity officials — From left: Ricky Hatch, clerk and auditor of Weber County, Utah; Geoff Hale, director of the election security initiative at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; Cynthia Kaiser, section chief in the FBI cyber division; and David Imbordino, election security lead at the National Security Agency speak at the National Association of Counties conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on July 8. (Scoop News Group)

In future elections, federal officials predict repeat of 2020 threats

County & Local

ransomware skull — (Getty Images)

Maryland towns impacted in Kaseya ransomware breach

County & Local

The U.S. Capitol Rotunda (Getty Images)

State and local groups press Congress to pass cyber grants

State

Anne Neuberger — Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging threats, speaks about the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack at the White House on May 10. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images)

Mayors meet with NSC’s cyber lead as ransomware crisis continues

City

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (John Moore / Getty Images)

New Connecticut law nudges businesses to adopt cybersecurity controls

State

prison bars — (Getty Images)

Former local broadband official gets two years prison for fraud scheme

County & Local

Rep. Gerry Connolly — Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

State, local tech leaders push for post-pandemic modernization

County & Local