Mike Steinmetz took office April 17 as Rhode Island’s first cybersecurity officer. Although he has been in this new position for only two months, Steinmetz has developed a network of state officials, academics, and industry experts. He stressed the importance of partners within the private sector and academia.

A bill formally authorizing the National Computer Forensics Institute within the Department of Homeland Security to train state, local, and tribal law enforcement on how to deal with and prosecute cyber crime passed the U.S. House on May 16.

Collaboration and a willingness to learn new practices are the best ways to address cybersecurity concerns surrounding cloud computing, according to IT leaders from across the country. Greg Urban, chief operations officer of Maryland, said that a strong core of talent makes a big difference when exploring cloud capabilities.

In their State of the States remarks for the National Governors Association, Chairman and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, and Vice Chair and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval emphasized the importance of cybersecurity investment and communication between the Federal government and state governments.

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers is advocating for increased cybersecurity partnerships with the Federal government, according to its 2017 advocacy agenda.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced $50 million in funding to the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center. The state-owned center, located in Augusta, will bring together academia, private industry, and government to establish cybersecurity standards, best practices, and protocols for responding to cyber threats across state and local agencies.

New York became the first state to require banks, insurance companies, and other financial services institutions to create and maintain cybersecurity programs.

Federal information sharing is key to combating terrorism and cyber threats, according to law enforcement representatives from several states.

Acquiring cybersecurity workers for the Federal government is a matter of stealing from other entities, according to FBI Director James Comey. However, state and local governments are also actively involved in this talent grab.

A cybersecurity professional in Arlington, Va., who protects the Pentagon, makes 72% less than someone doing similar work in Minneapolis. According to a study from Indeed, IT security staff in Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas like Arlington make substantially less than their counterparts in other cities, such as Salt Lake City and Denver. The study […]