Author & Cybersecurity Strategist at Microsoft, NACD certified boardroom director | Helping CISOs Turn AI & Cybersecurity Risk into Strategic Advantage
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In another significant move, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) has lost its federal funding due to redundancy with other services provided by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). This decision is expected to save taxpayers approximately $10 million annually. While cost savings are always welcome, the impact on state and local cybersecurity operations cannot be overstated. Federal Funding Cut: MS-ISAC's loss of federal funding means state and local governments must now rely more heavily on CISA's services. This shift requires a strategic approach to ensure continued cybersecurity resilience. Cost Savings: While the $10 million annual savings seems like a clear benefit, it's crucial to balance this with the potential risks of losing specialized support that MS-ISAC provided to over 18,000 entities. It also adds strain to CISA, which has seen 130 positions cut this year so far. Impact on States: State and local officials valued MS-ISAC's resources, including intelligence briefings, incident response support, and penetration testing. The loss of these services will create gaps in their cybersecurity posture. It is not clear if CISA will be able to perform all functions of MS-ISAC, but it seems unlikely. State officials have expressed concerns over the loss of MS-ISAC's services, emphasizing their importance in safeguarding elections and overall cybersecurity. State and local governments should fully utilize CISA's security advisers and services for cybersecurity and physical security assessments. The loss of MS-ISAC's federal funding is a wake-up call for state and local governments to immediately reassess their cybersecurity strategies and be prepared to fill in any gaps: likely on their own. Read more at StateScoop: https://lnkd.in/ehhAT6nZ