Updates from the Resource Center for State Cybersecurity team, September 30, 2022
NGA Cybersecurity Policy Academy Update: Washington State Final Report Published
Washington was among the five states that participated in NGA’s 2021 Cybersecurity Policy Academy. In July, Washington published it’s report on whole-of-state cybersecurity, which highlights recommendations aimed at addressing three key questions:
- What recommendations do local governments have to prevent, mitigate, and recover from cybersecurity incidents?
- What can the state government do to help increase the flow of talent into the technology workforce, and cybersecurity workforce in particular?
- Which entities are working toward these goals?
Read the complete report here.
Cybersecurity Resources
- FY22 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program Fact Sheet | September 16, 2022
- State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity | September 16, 2022
- CISA 2023-2025 Strategic Plan | September 13, 2022
- CISA Request for Information on the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 | September 12, 2022
- NGA Commentary: The State of Ransomware | September 8, 2022
- CISA/FBI/MS-ISAC Joint Cybersecurity Advisory: #StopRansomware: Vice Society| September 6, 2022
- Cyberspace Solarium Commission 2.0 2022 Annual Report on Implementation | September 1, 2022
State Cyber Watch
Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Receives National Recognition for Digital Government Excellence | The Office of Governor Ted Lamont September 29, 2022
The Center for Digital Government has recognized Connecticut for its ongoing digital government efforts, awarding the state with a grade of A- and ranking it third in the nation for information technology leadership. This score reflects Governor Ted Lamont’s commitment to building platforms to provide residents and businesses with the tools necessary to digitally connect with services administered by the state. A summary of the 2022 Digital States Survey results can be found here.
Alabama School of Cyber Tech, Engineering Opens in Huntsville | GovTech September 26, 2022
Governor Kay Ivey officially opened the new Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering in Huntsville this month. It is the state’s newest magnet school and is the only high school in the country focused on the integration of cyber technology and engineering in its curriculum. Currently, 38% of its student body is female and 38% are minority students.
California Gov. Newsom signs K-12 cyber reporting bill | StateScoop September 26, 2022
This month, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill requiring K-12 districts, county education boards, and charter schools to report cyber incidents to California’s Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC). The law also requires Cal-CSIC to maintain a registry of cyberattacks reported by local education systems.
Governor Mills Announces New Initiative to Bring Mobile Computer Science Labs to All Maine Schools | Office of Governor Janet T. Mills September 21, 2022
Governor Janet Mills announced the launch of a new initiative being led by the state’s Department of Education to equip every Maine public school with a free mobile computer science lab. This effort is funded through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund to develop a workforce skilled in robotics, programming, coding, and more.
New York National Guard Cyber Experts Learn from Brazilian Counterparts | Dialogo Americas September 19, 2022
The New York Nation Guard represented the United States in a recent Cyber Guardian Exercise hosted by the Brazilian Cyber Defense Command to identify ways in which the Guard’s computer security experts could train with its Brazilian counterparts and learn about their unique cybersecurity structure and capabilities.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $1 Billion in Funding for First-Ever State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program | U.S. Department of Homeland Security September 16, 2022
On September 16th, the Department of Homeland Security released its Notice of Funding Opportunity for its highly-anticipated $1 billion State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program to fund efforts to establish critical governance frameworks, identify key cyber vulnerabilities, implement threat mitigation measures, and modernize the cyber workforce. Eligible entities must submit applications no later than November 15th.
Utah Readies Mobile Driver’s License Rollout | Route Fifty September 15, 2022
Utah’s Driver License Division is in the final stages of its pilot test to bring mobile driver’s licenses (mDL) to its residents. This advancement will give mDL users more control over their data, as they will only be prompted to share the information the verifying entity they’re transacting with needs, rather than all of the personally-identifiable information that physical licenses display.
Governor McMaster laid out cyber security efforts at the State House | ABC Columbia September 9, 2022
Earlier this month, Governor Henry McMaster delivered a press conference to outline South Carolina’s cybersecurity efforts and the state’s commitment to centralizing the state’s cyber education and security resources.
Governor Steve Sisolak signs Executive Order establishing the Cyber Security Task Force | Office of Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak September 6, 2022
Governor Steve Sisolak signed an Executive Order (EO) this month to establish a new cybersecurity task force in the face of increasingly sophisticated and malicious cyber threats. The task force will drive priorities under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program requirements and provide advice to leadership across Nevada’s various cyber and emergency management agencies. See the full EO here.
