In a move to strengthen cybersecurity and citizen trust, Schenectady County, N.Y., has transitioned its official website, as well as email addresses, to a .gov domain. Only qualified U.S.-based government agencies can use .gov domains, which require stricter security controls.
“Migrating to a .gov domain increases security and can help our residents feel confident that the information they access on schenectadycountyny.gov can be trusted,” said Anthony Jasenski, chair of the Schenectady County Legislature. “To make the transition smoother, site visitors who use the old domain will be automatically redirected to our new URL and emails will also be forwarded.”
The county said in a press release that over time it will phase out the use of schenectadycounty.com online, in publications, and other public-facing materials.
“In this ever-evolving technological landscape, securing our website has become more vital than ever before,” said County Legislator Rich Ruzzo, chair of the Technology and Communications Committee. “Upgrading to a .gov domain helps us stay ahead of the curve by making it harder for cybercriminals to impersonate our employees, websites, and emails, while also safeguarding sensitive information, and building public trust in the content available at schenectadycountyny.gov.”
