Fed's Bowman Addresses Community Bank Cyber Risks at Denver Workshop

Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman delivered opening remarks at the Community Bank Cyber Workshop held in Denver, Colorado, appearing before attendees via pre-recorded video rather than in person. The event brought together community banking professionals to address growing cybersecurity challenges facing smaller financial institutions across the country.

Community banks have increasingly become targets of sophisticated cyber threats, and federal regulators have made outreach and education a priority to help these institutions strengthen their defenses. Workshops of this nature reflect the Fed's broader supervisory focus on operational resilience within the community banking sector, where resources for cybersecurity infrastructure are often more limited than at larger institutions.

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Bowman's participation, even in a remote capacity, underscores the Federal Reserve's commitment to engaging directly with community bankers on supervisory priorities. Regulators have repeatedly signaled that cyber risk management is among their top concerns as financial services continue to migrate to digital platforms and threat actors grow more capable.

The Community Bank Cyber Workshop in Denver represents one of several regional efforts by federal banking agencies to deliver hands-on guidance and best practices to smaller lenders who may lack dedicated cybersecurity teams. Such convenings are considered a key tool in closing the knowledge and preparedness gap between community banks and their larger counterparts.

Continue reading at FRB: Speeches.