Governor Ralph Northam announced the launch of the Regional Cyber Security Workshop Series focused on building partnerships with local governments on cyber security. Hosted by the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, the workshop series commenced this month and will include seven meetings across the Commonwealth, concluding at the end of August.
The purpose of the workshops is to spread awareness of Virginia’s cyber security programs, build relationships between state and local information technology (IT) officials to facilitate information sharing, and enhance collaboration on regional and statewide cyber initiatives.
“In the 21st century, it’s important to highlight the impact these incidents can have on public safety and the need for strong partnerships and information sharing between state and local governments,” said Governor Northam. “Virginia’s agencies have worked tirelessly to bolster our cyber security posture and are committed to engaging local partners to protect our critical infrastructure and our citizens from cyber threats. These workshops are an important piece of our whole community approach to further Virginia’s cyber preparedness and build our cyber resiliency.”
“It is important to recognize that cyber incidents are not isolated to IT but can have significant repercussions for public safety, drawing upon several disciplines to effect a response,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. “Working with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Secretary’s Office has sought to engage emergency management and law enforcement to encourage a cross-disciplinary approach to cyber security. It is critical for any government to have established partnerships between IT and these disciplines for an effective and timely response and recovery.”
Workshop participants will receive briefings on the Virginia Fusion Center Cyber Intelligence Unit, Virginia National Guard cyber assessment program, Virginia Cyber Incident Response Plan, and State Cyber Grant Program. The workshop will conclude with a facilitated discussion on developing a regionalized approach to cyber security. The focus of these workshops is on local government IT and IT security; however, local emergency management and law enforcement officials are encouraged to attend as well.
Workshops are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- July 19 – New Kent
- August 14 – Fairfax
- August 21 – Abingdon
- August 22 – Roanoke
- August 28 – Chesapeake
- August 30 – Charlottesville
For more information or to register for a workshop, please visit www.cyberva.virginia.gov.
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