WASHINGTON—A bipartisan group of senators is interested in establishing a cybersecurity leader for each state in order to increase the states' abilities to respond to cyberattacks.
The Cybersecurity State Coordinator Act proposes creating a federally-funded program that would create a cybersecurity coordinator position for each state. The program would be part of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, reported Decipher.
The 50 coordinators—CISA employees—would be responsible for working with all levels of government to prepare for, prevent, and respond to attacks. The state coordinator would act as a security risk advisor, point-of-contact, and facilitator between federal and non-federal organizations, including state and local governments, schools, and hospitals, Decipher said.
“The coordinator will also be expected to raise awareness of the financial, technical, and operational resources non-government entities can receive from the federal government,” Decipher said.