National Guard to Help States Prevent Cyber Attacks

National Guard to Help States Prevent Cyber Attacks

National Guard. image by pixabay

This post is also available in: heעברית (Hebrew)

Governors across the United States are mobilizing their states’ National Guard units to combat threats from cyberattacks. Terrorists could seriously damage or disrupt states and regions by hacking into the digital network of water utilities or electric grids. Criminals are eager to steal financial, medical, or other personal data states store in their electronic records.

National Guard units have made strides in securing their own digital infrastructure, and governors are looking to leverage the Guards’ capabilities to meet the cybersecurity needs of their states.

IHLS – Israel Homeland Security

According to HLS News Wire instead of relying solely on federal agencies to respond to state or regional cyberattacks, cyber-soldiers in the National Guard are familiar with the communities they serve.

They understand the state and local infrastructure, which gives them an advantage in quickly responding to cyber incidents. “The National Guard provides a cost-effective and uniquely capable force that can provide capability for the DoD, homeland defense, civil support and intrastate missions,” the National Guard Association of the United States said in a statement. “Most importantly, the National Guard is composed of citizen-soldiers, working in communities and providing knowledge of critical infrastructure at the local level.”