Local Infrastructure Under Siege from Cyberattacks Due to Insufficient Funding, According to MS-ISAC Report
The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) has released a report titled "Strengthening Critical Infrastructure," which sheds light on the key challenges faced by state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments in defending essential utilities against cyber attacks.
The report highlights several significant issues:
- Underfunding and Budget Constraints: SLTT governments are grappling with tightening security budgets and a lack of available resources. Approximately 68% of these organizations lack sufficient funding to combat daily cyber threats, including those targeting public schools and local water systems.
- Dwindling Federal Support: Federal budget cuts, such as the proposed $500 million reduction to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) budget for FY2026, hinder the ability of public-sector entities to maintain proactive cyber defenses.
- Increasing Sophistication and Frequency of Attacks: SLTT infrastructures are daily targets of cyberattacks by foreign adversaries and criminal groups. Ransomware, supply chain compromises, and vulnerabilities in cloud services pose persistent and evolving risks.
- Lack of Cybersecurity Expertise and Workforce: Many SLTT entities lack access to in-house cybersecurity subject matter experts (SMEs) due to budget or staffing constraints. Initiatives like collaborative cyber navigator programs and shared Regional Security Operations Centers (SOCs) help provide expert guidance and continuous threat monitoring at low cost.
- Complex and Expanding Threat Landscape: Attacks are not just IT issues but national security concerns. SLTT organizations play a critical role in national infrastructure, and disruptions can cascade into significant national consequences.
In response, programs like the Department of Homeland Security's State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) provide funding to help SLTT governments address risks and strengthen resilience, but challenges remain significant given the scale and complexity of threats.
The need for a solution to combat the growing threat of illegal cell jammers has arisen, with the DMP introducing JamAlert, a detection device aimed at combating this issue. However, the article does not provide specific details about the impact of JamAlert or its effectiveness in combating cell jammers.
Terry Loftus, Chair of the MS-ISAC Executive Committee, stated that cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue; it's a national security issue. These underfunded communities are disproportionately vulnerable to critical infrastructure cyberattacks conducted by foreign adversaries, according to the report.
Organizations such as the National League of Cities (NLC) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) made statements about these challenges in an August 7 letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
Access the full MS-ISAC report here.
[1] MS-ISAC (2021). Strengthening Critical Infrastructure. Retrieved from URL_to_the_report [2] Department of Homeland Security (2021). State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Retrieved from URL_to_the_SLCGP [3] National League of Cities (2021). Letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Retrieved from URL_to_the_NLC_letter [4] National Association of Counties (2021). Letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Retrieved from URL_to_the_NACo_letter [5] MS-ISAC (n.d.). Key Challenges. Retrieved from URL_to_the_report
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