Legislation would establish cybersecurity grant program
Recently introduced bicameral legislation would create a grant program, authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to allow state, local, and tribal governments to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses.
The program would allow governments to develop, revise or implement cyber resiliency measures.
Most states allocate up to 3 percent to cybersecurity, according to a 2018 survey by Deloitte-National Association, although some states allocate nothing.
Nearly half of all states lack a cybersecurity budget line item, according to Deloitte-National, and 28 percent of state governments said inadequate availability of cybersecurity professionals was a “top barrier.”
There are 313,735 job openings nationwide in cybersecurity, according to Cyber Seek. The states with the most openings are California, Texas and Virginia.
“America should dedicate far more attention and resources to combating cyber threats,” Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) said. “Cyber-attacks could threaten our election systems, municipally-owned water treatment facilities, local emergency responder networks, or other vital systems that impact our communities. With that in mind, building our cyber resiliency matters to employers, workers, local governments, consumers – and even to our national security. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing a bipartisan plan to give state, local, and tribal governments more tools to counter these cyber threats.”
Hackers have targeted local governments in several states in the past year.
By: Melina Druga
Source: Homeland Preparedness News