A new cybersecurity initiative dubbed the New Jersey Civilian Cyber Resilience Corps (Cyber Corps) aims to mobilize specialized expertise in cybersecurity response and resilience across the state of New Jersey.
Announced by the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) and the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC), the voluntary Cyber Corps will be comprised of cybersecurity and IT professionals from across the state.
Those members will support government agencies and offices, critical infrastructure providers, and community organizations through incident response, vulnerability assessment, target hardening, cybersecurity training, and resilience-building efforts, according to a press release.
Cyber Corps will be overseen by the NJCCIC, and corps members will serve as unpaid volunteers. Volunteers will be required to undergo screening and training.
“Integrating volunteers into the NJCCIC’s operational framework significantly increases the State’s capacity to support local government entities, schools, critical infrastructure providers, and civil society organizations in preventing and responding to cybersecurity incidents,” said NJCCIC Director Michael Geraghty. “This program strengthens our whole-of-state approach to cyber defense and resilience.”
NJOHSP Director, Laurie Doran, said “the Cyber Corps unlocks a new way for cybersecurity professionals to contribute directly to the security and resilience of the communities they live in.”
New Jersey is the latest state to join a growing effort across the United States to form statewide cybersecurity groups. Other states that have created similar programs include Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Louisiana, Maryland, and Texas.