Governor Laura Kelly announced today that the interim report from the Cybersecurity Task Force has been released with an initial set of recommendations.
“These recommendations will help secure our data, strengthen our digital infrastructure, and grow our cybersecurity workforce – all while protecting Kansans’ privacy,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “I want to thank the Cybersecurity Task Force for their hard work creating this report – I look forward to seeing the final recommendations this December.”
On July 13, 2021, Governor Kelly signed Executive Order No. 21-25, establishing the Governor’s Cybersecurity Task Force to protect Kansas’s digital infrastructure. Comprised of bipartisan members from across Kansas in both the public and private sectors, the Task Force has spent the last three months meeting with stakeholders and subject matter experts to collect input for recommendations that will improve the cybersecurity posture for the State of Kansas.
The Task Force is comprised of four subcommittees: Statewide Coordination and Collaboration, Workforce Development and Education, Cyber Incident and Disruption Response, and Strategic Vision and Planning.
Under the leadership of co-chairs Mike Mayta and Jeff Maxon, the Task Force met bi-weekly with subcommittees meeting on alternate weeks.
“Thank you to everyone who played a role in putting this interim report together. To the many associations, educational institutions, and our State and Federal partners who took time to meet with us, your input and ideas provided the framework for many of these recommendations. Without your engagement, this would not have been possible,” said co-chairs Mike Mayta and Jeff Maxon. “Organizations across Kansas are doing the hard work to protect their data, educate their employees and the public, and develop a robust cybersecurity workforce. Through these recommendations, we hope to leverage and build upon their success and see it come together in a more whole-of-state approach.”
The Task Force submitted its interim report to the Governor on October 5, 2021, with 45 recommendations for how entities from state and local government, education, the private sector, and other critical infrastructure sectors can address cybersecurity challenges from a whole-of-state approach. Recommendations include cybersecurity training, partnerships to support workforce development and cyber response, as well as education.
The Task Force and its subcommittees will continue to convene throughout the fall as they prepare their next report due in early December. The second report will include new recommendations while further developing some of the recommendations included in the interim report.
Members of the public can read the full report here and submit any feedback to CyberTaskForce@ks.gov.