Pell Center releases ‘State of the States’ report on cybersecurity

FRANCESCA Spidalieri, right, senior fellow for cyberleadership at the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University, speaks at a recent Cybersecurity Summit produced by Providence Business News. At left is Timothy J. Edgar, cybersecurity expert and fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Public Affairs. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
FRANCESCA Spidalieri, right, senior fellow for cyberleadership at the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University, speaks at a recent Cybersecurity Summit produced by Providence Business News. At left is Timothy J. Edgar, cybersecurity expert and fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Public Affairs. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

NEWPORT – Eight states in the U.S., including four in the Northeast, are leading the rest in cybersecurity readiness, according to a new report from the Pell Center at Salve Regina University.
The efforts of state governments in California, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington have developed sound approaches to protect infrastructure, information, and operations, says Senior Fellow Francesca Spidalieri.
Her review, “State of the States on Cybersecurity,” highlights effective mechanisms and creative solutions that state governments and their leaders have devised to take advantage of existing assets, to better protect critical infrastructure, promote information sharing, grow their cybersecurity industry and attract qualified talent to their states.
The top eight states have made cybersecurity a priority and are committed to increase security and resilience against cyber threats, she said. They are doing this through government action like leveraging policies, plans, laws, regulations and standards, and by providing the right set of incentives and assistance for other stakeholders, she said.
“With greater and greater frequency, state governments are falling victim to an array of cyber threats, including data breaches, tax fraud and political hacktivism,” Pell Center Executive Director Jim Ludes said. “This new study shines a light on the states that are leading the way in preparing and mitigating for these threats so that others can follow.”
The report is part of the ongoing Cyber Leadership Project at the Pell Center and follows previous reports that investigate critical issues in cybersecurity leadership development across the United States. The report can be found HERE.

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