Massachusetts introduces committee to address cybersecurity

In an effort to coordinate a state response to cybercrime and manage information security, the state of Massachusetts has created the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.

The Committee held its first hearing on September 8, 2021. Committee members heard testimony from industry leaders including the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Chief Information Officer Curtis Wood, Director of MassCyberCenter Stephanie Helm, and Daniel Prieto, Strategic Executive at Google Cloud, among others.

The Committee focused on developing cybersecurity strategies for both the public and private sector as well as plans to support individual citizens, highlighting the increased risk elderly citizens of Massachusetts face online. Prieto suggested modernizing information technology and investing in zero trust security principles.

“Public and private partnerships are absolutely going to be critical to our goal of establishing any resiliency,” said Rep. Linda Dean Campbel, one of the committee chairs. “We really can encourage the development of an economic sector here in Massachusetts.”

Source: https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/96078-massachusetts-introduces-committee-to-address-cybersecurity