SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 28, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Gov. Spencer Cox announced the formation of the Governor’s Cybersecurity Task Force Thursday.
The Task Force will promote cybersecurity awareness, share information, identify cybersecurity assets and resources, promote best practices, and enhance cyber capabilities and response for all Utahns, said a news release from the Office of the Governor.
“It has become clear that even cybersecurity attacks on the private sector can have impacts that frustrate residents, interrupt critical services and quickly become everyone’s problem,” Cox said. “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility between the public and the private sector.”
State Chief Information Officer Alan Fuller added: “Neither the government nor the private sector has the information, authority, or resources to do it alone. Public-private partnerships are the foundation for effective cyber security and resilience strategies. Timely, trusted information sharing and reporting among stakeholders is essential to the security of the state.”
Over the next year, the task force will create the Governor’s Cybersecurity Advisory Committee composed of various leaders and policy makers within Utah’s cybersecurity community, including the following:
- The Governor or his designee
- The commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety
- The chief information officer of the state of Utah
- The chief information security officer for the state of Utah.
- A representative from the Utah National Guard
- Two state legislators or high level policy makers
- Two representatives from a federal law enforcement agency
- A representative from the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity
- Ten executive critical infrastructure private sector partners with a range of expertise and experience in cybersecurity initiatives. Organizations that have shown commitment to participate on this board are: Utah Education and Telehealth Network, Rocky Mountain Power, Chevron, Sinclair Oil, Utah Hospital Association, Salt Lake County Special venues, Salt Palace Convention Center and Central Utah Water Conservancy District
“I’m excited for the opportunity for our law enforcement cybersecurity experts in state government to team up with counterparts in other sectors to keep Utah safe in preparing for and responding to cyber attacks,” said Jess Anderson, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety. “This task force will analyze the cyber threat to Utah and provide best practices, resources, education, mitigation, and incident response to cyber threats and cyber-attacks towards Utah-based private and public sector entities.”
