The National Governors Association (NGA) released an issue brief to examine state cyber disruption response plans. States and territories count on experienced teams of public safety and emergency management professionals to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural and human-made disasters. With the integration of information technology into critical services, state and territorial officials must now expand their focus to consider the consequences of cyberattacks that have physical impacts and threaten public safety.
This issue brief examines state cyber disruption response plans that governors are developing and testing in preparation for cyberattacks that demand coordination across state agencies. These plans detail the agencies that must respond to an incident, their roles and responsibilities, and how they will coordinate resources. This issue brief also examines how these plans align with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security National Cyber Incident Response Plan, which establishes protocols to guide any federal and state response to a “significant cyber incident.” It concludes with recommendations for state leaders who are creating or revising their own response plans.
