Cybersecurity Awareness Month continues! The Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), and the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) recently approved California’s initial
State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) Cybersecurity
Plan.
Established under Governor Jerry Brown, the
California Cybersecurity Task Force is a statewide
partnership that serves as an advisory body to the State in
matters related to cybersecurity. It is co-led by the California
Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the California
Department of Technology (CDT). Through the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, Congress established the
State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, which established
the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP),
appropriating $1 billion nationwide to be awarded over four
years. On December 27, 2022, California was awarded almost $8
million for SLCGP first-year funding (federal FY22) with Cal OES
formally accepting the award on January 23, 2023. Disbursement of
these funds are contingent upon the approval of individual
projects named in the SLCGP Cybersecurity Plan and will be
released to California as the projects are approved.
Within Cal OES, is the California
Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC), whose mission is
“to reduce the number of cyber threats and attacks in California.
The Cal-CSIC’s focus is to respond to cyber threats and attacks
that could damage the economy, its critical infrastructure, or
computer networks in the state.” In late 2022, Cal-CSIC formed a
subcommittee of the California Cybersecurity Task Force called
the Cybersecurity Investment Planning Subcommittee (CCTF-CIPS),
which serves as the planning committee for the grant. CSAC is a
member of the subcommittee.
The SLCGP Cybersecurity Plan was developed in coordination with
CCTF-CIPS, CDT, Cal-CSIC, and Cal OES, is a living document, and
there will be subsequent revisions.
