Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a new Executive Order (EO) on Nov. 20 that aims to protect the state’s critical infrastructure from potential cyberattacks directed by the Chinese government.
The EO directs the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to prepare for potential threats against Texas’ critical infrastructure from a hostile foreign government or their proxies.
“China has made it clear that they can – and will – target and attack America’s critical infrastructure,” said Governor Abbott. “Just this past year, a hostile Chinese government actor targeted America’s communications, energy, transportation, water, and wastewater systems, threatening our national security.”
“Today, I directed Texas state agencies to identify potential vulnerabilities to prevent cyberattacks on local, state, and other critical infrastructure,” the governor said. “Texas will continue to protect our critical infrastructure to ensure the safety of Texans from potential threats by the Chinese Communist Party or any hostile foreign government.”
As part of the EO, TDEM and the PUC will:
- Establish a taskforce to survey potential vulnerabilities of state and local governments and other critical infrastructure. The taskforce will also provide recommendations to address any vulnerabilities.
- Simulate responses to cyberattacks on key industry sectors of the Texas economy and recommend policies and best practices to prevent attacks and mitigate their effects.
- Convene a committee of state agencies to simulate a restart of Texas’ electric grid in the event of a foreign attack.
Additionally, the governor’s office also ordered the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas to create a secure, dedicated communications channel for telecommunication and electrical infrastructure companies for use to prioritize load requests during a critical grid incident.
