New Report Highlights the Role of State and Local Government Organizations in National Security

Collaboration named key factor in effectively defending against foreign threats

EAST GREENBUSH, NY, UNITED STATES, February 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center^® (MS-ISAC^®) has released a seminal report titled “Strengthening Critical Infrastructure: State, Local, Tribal & Territorial Progress & Priorities, Volume 1,” shedding light on the critical threats facing America’s critical infrastructure and the current progress among state and local governments that offer keys to success in defending against foreign threats.

As a substantial portion of the nation’s critical infrastructure is managed by U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) entities, the report underscores the catastrophic consequences of disruptions in systems such as healthcare, education, water, and power.

SLTT critical infrastructure underpins nearly every activity we consider routine, from getting drinkable water from the tap to dropping the kids off at school to keeping public hospitals operating to business owners turning the lights on each morning. Cyber attacks to these essential services, when successful, have significant and costly direct impacts and undermine Americans’ confidence in our nation’s ability to defend itself.

Given Americans’ reliance on the services provided by public-sector critical infrastructure, state and local government cybersecurity is an essential component of our national security. Managing these threats requires a national-level response with national-scale solutions to fight nation-state threat actors.

Despite these challenges, SLTT organizations are forging ahead with innovative solutions. The report highlights the success of shared services, State and Regional Security Operations Centers (SOCs), and the national support provided by the MS-ISAC. These initiatives offer round-the-clock monitoring and incident response, centralized threat intelligence, and peer-to-peer collaboration, which have proven to be effective in bolstering defenses.

“As we face the complexities of securing our nation’s critical infrastructure, it’s clear that the strength of our security lies in unity and proactive collaboration,” said Terry Loftus, MS-ISAC Executive Committee Chair. “The strategies and priorities outlined in this report are more than a blueprint for safeguarding our communities — they are a call to action for every level of government to stand together against the threats that challenge our way of life.”

Looking ahead, the report identifies key priorities, including bolstering critical infrastructure resilience, building trust in public institutions through communication, strengthening small and rural communities, addressing insider threats, and investing in workforce development.

The report is based on a study commissioned by the MS-ISAC Executive Committee, involving polls and focus groups conducted with input from MS-ISAC member organizations and associations serving the state, local, tribal, and territorial community. A Volume 2 full report is scheduled to be released in early March with more detailed findings to accompany the Volume 1 brief overview of report findings.

To learn more about “Strengthening Critical Infrastructure: State, Local, Tribal & Territorial Progress & Priorities, Volume 1,” visit cisecurity.org or email media@cisecurity.org.

Kelly Wyland
Center for Internet Security
+1 518-256-6978
email us here
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