Save Money, Build Talent, and Defend Communities: A Whole-Of-State Cybersecurity Guidebook

<span> <p><span>As part of a growing “whole-of-state” cybersecurity strategy, many states are piloting cyber defense programs that rely on local talent to provide hands-on assistance to fill critical gaps in the cyber defenses of communities. These programs lean on civilian participation to help bolster defenses, often by upskilling students and deploying local skilled volunteers to save money, develop the local cybersecurity workforce, and build resilience. However, these programs cannot succeed in a vacuum; they need financial and administrative support from state leaders.</span></p><br> <p><span>In this guidebook, the UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) Public Interest Cybersecurity Program highlights a collection of community cyber defense programs: cybersecurity clinics, regional security operation centers (RSOCs), and state cyber corps. The guidebook then outlines the return on investment of these programs.&nbsp;</span></p><br> <p><span>Key insights from this guidebook explore how community cyber defense programs:</span></p> <ol> <li> <p><span>Save taxpayer dollars,&nbsp;</span></p></li> <li> <p><span>Develop the local workforce,</span></p></li> <li> <p><span>Strengthen community cyber defense, and</span></p></li> <li> <p><span>Are most effective when they are part of a wider local defense ecosystem.</span></p></li> </ol><br> <p><span>Addressing the operational realities of these programs, the guidebook explores shared aspects of successful programs, as well as common hurdles and examples of how to overcome them. Zooming out, the guidebook then highlights how these programs can work together to create a cohesive and resilient state cyber ecosystem. Through case studies centered on initiatives in Texas, Wisconsin, and New Jersey, the paper shows how a network of programs collaborating and sharing intelligence can be a force multiplier for a state’s investment in local cyber defense.&nbsp;</span></p><br> <p><span>This guidebook provides a path forward for state legislators, chief information security officers (CISOs), chief information officers (CIOs), and governors to double down on their whole-of-state cybersecurity strategy by investing in and connecting their local cyber defense programs. </span></p></span>