Human risk and error still represent the most significant cyber breach vectors, and with the dispersion of user-device network endpoints away from traditional networks during the coronavirus pandemic, those two vectors are only becoming more challenging to address, state and local government officials said during a Nov. 22 GovTech webinar.

Guidance published by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) advises that higher education governing boards should stay appraised of rising cybersecurity threats, and fund efforts to address them.

The cybersecurity threats that have prompted wide-scale action to improve security across the Federal government are posing equal dangers to state and local governments, and officials said at FCW’s CDM Summit virtual event on November 4 that the same solutions being put into place by the Feds also are scalable and adaptable by state and local governments.

As the cyber threat landscape continues to morph for entities at the Federal level, so too does it change for governments at the state, local, and tribal level. For the state of Illinois, adding cyber into emergency management and working closely with counties has helped to better prepare the state for cyber threats.

Two Kennesaw State University (KSU) professors have launched a program to teach K-12 students cybersecurity basics through virtual reality video games.

As an unprecedented number of employees continue to work on-site and remotely, ensuring the proper rollout of the latest IT infrastructure is crucial in securing networks and ensuring operational success. However, various state and local agencies faced challenges in attempting to aid employees in this new work environment, said Rohit Tandon, assistant commissioner and the state chief information security officer for the state of Minnesota, on September 23 during a Nextgov webinar.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the 50 members of the reestablished Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC), which will be co-chaired by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the work landscape, potentially forever, cybersecurity officials are advising that workplaces prepare to build resiliency into these hybrid work landscapes and make sure they are working strategically to secure the connections.

Infrastructure week finally arrived in Washington, D.C. with the Senate’s approval of the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Tuesday morning. The bill – whose main tech-related titles include $65 billion for broadband and around $2 billion for cybersecurity – cleared the Senate by a vote of 69-30.

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs advanced the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act during an August 4 business meeting, sending the bill to the Senate floor for a vote.