Cyber Defense Programs in Michigan, Texas, Florida, Indiana Boost Public Sector Security

A small school district can't out-spend a nation-state attacker on cybersecurity, and AI is only tilting the odds further. But some of the most encouraging progress we've seen aren't about bigger budgets, it's about who's doing the buying. In his new article for Government Technology, Zach Oxman, Abnormal AI's AVP, SLED looks at how state agencies, university security centers, and consortia are evaluating and negotiating protection once, then extending it to hundreds of districts and jurisdictions that couldn't do it alone: → Michigan's MiSecure: a vetted shortlist for K-12 districts → Texas: statewide email security at no cost to schools → Indiana's Cybertrack: free university-led assessments → Florida: pre-negotiated capabilities purchased at scale Because everything's connected, one under-defended district can become the way into a whole region, so helping the smallest players protects everyone else on the network too. These programs make the case for renewing and funding the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Check out his full article below:

A small school district can't out-spend a nation-state attacker on cybersecurity, and AI is only tilting the odds further. But some of the most encouraging progress we've seen aren't about bigger budgets, it's about who's doing the buying. In his new article for Government Technology, Zach Oxman, Abnormal AI's AVP, SLED looks at how state agencies, university security centers, and consortia are evaluating and negotiating protection once, then extending it to hundreds of districts and jurisdictions that couldn't do it alone: → Michigan's MiSecure: a vetted shortlist for K-12 districts → Texas: statewide email security at no cost to schools → Indiana's Cybertrack: free university-led assessments → Florida: pre-negotiated capabilities purchased at scale Because everything's connected, one under-defended district can become the way into a whole region, so helping the smallest players protects everyone else on the network too. These programs make the case for renewing and funding the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Check out his full article below.

I now have access to Mythos 5.1. 😎 Last week, someone posted a rootkit exploit in the comments of my post about cyber defenders getting locked out of frontier models. I took it to Opus 5.5 to understand what it was, and I was downgraded to Opus 4.8 on the spot, and got a lecture on top. What changed: Anthropic opened its Cyber Verification Program (CVP) to organizations outside its big launch partners. I applied Wednesday morning and was approved two days later. Notable: - It’s organization-level. - Approval came fast. Two days, which is what they promise. So my take has shifted. The default lockout is still real, and most defenders don’t know this path exists. But if you do authorized security work, including red teaming, there is now a way to get access to frontier models for it. Next up: putting Mythos through real defensive work on our own code, next to the local models I’ve been testing. I’ll share where it’s better than the local models, where it’s not, and whether verified access is worth the paperwork (spoiler: it is). Follow along if you want the results.

Curious about how leaders in home rule states are able to take a whole-of-state cybersecurity approach? Home rule gives counties and municipalities authority to govern their own cybersecurity affairs. In states with strong home rule provisions, local autonomy can complicate efforts to enact whole-of-state cybersecurity strategies. Local entities may not adopt state-recommended frameworks, software, or policies, leading to fragmented security capabilities, inconsistent incident reporting, and challenges coordinating incident response. Hear from state cybersecurity leaders who are navigating these challenges head-on at the Cyber Civil Defense Summit: Central. Discover their tips for building and sustaining trusted partnerships with local governments to strengthen cybersecurity across their states. Panelists: TJ White, Chief of Texas Cyber Command Bryce Bailey, MBA, State Deputy CIO & Chief Information Security Officer, State of Nebraska Office of the CIO @sarah anderson Sarah Anderson, Former Chief Legal Counsel for the State of Louisiana ESF-17 (Cyber Incident Response and Management) & Founder, SWA Law LLC and LegallyCyber.com Gary Vance, State CISO, Arkansas Office of State Technology In conversation with moderator Rae DeShong, Staff Writer for Government Technology 👉 Register for the Cyber Civil Defense Summit: Central on October 8! https://lnkd.in/gCvWHqSz #CyberCivilDefense #Take9

⚡ Cybercrime has far-reaching implications for organizations and individuals alike. Understanding its impact is essential for effective prevention and response strategies. Key impacts include: 📋 Financial losses 📋 Reputational damage 📋 Legal consequences Being aware of these factors can help professionals prepare and respond effectively. For a deeper analysis, read our blog: 💬 How has cybercrime affected your organization?

⚡ Cybercrime has far-reaching implications for organizations and individuals alike. Understanding its impact is essential for effective prevention and response strategies. Key impacts include: 📋 Financial losses 📋 Reputational damage 📋 Legal consequences Being aware of these factors can help professionals prepare and respond effectively. For a deeper analysis, read our blog: 💬 How has cybercrime affected your organization?