April 4, 2009

Governor Jack Markell, Senator Tom Carper Announce Delaware’s Receipt of U.S. Homeland Cyber Security Grant

DOVER – Today the Internet touches everything we do. Just last week, our evening news was flooded with stories on the Internet “Conficker worm” and the threat of new exploits being launched on April Fool’s Day. Fortunately, Delaware is the recipient of a U.S. Homeland Security Training grant that will help local community leaders do more to protect state and local information resources.

Governor Jack Markell, Senator Tom Carper, Secretary of Technology and Information Jim Sills, and Robert Mooney, Mayor of Camden and representative for the League of Local Governments, announced on Monday the start of the Delaware Community Cyber Security Training and Exercise Program at a press conference today. Resources from the federal government will be used to establish the program.

“One of state government’s most fundamental responsibilities is keeping the public safe,” Governor Markell said. “In today’s world, it is not enough to just worry about the criminals on the street. We have to be prepared to protect Delawareans from on-line threats as well.”

Delaware is one of only three states receiving the training-based federal award, along with Texas and California. Through the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security, based at the University of Texas in San Antonio, community leaders from two areas, greater Dover and greater Wilmington, will benefit from a series of no-cost cyber security classes, exercises, post-exercise analysis reports, and hands-on training.

“Few Americans know that, everyday, key information technology systems in government and throughout the private sector are under attack by nation states, hackers, and cyber terrorists looking to do us harm,” said Sen. Carper (D-Del.) “Yet, we depend on these systems for our military operations, to protect key pieces of infrastructure such as power plants and dams, and to facilitate routine business transactions. Most of the attacks against our information systems are intended to test our defenses or maybe to steal some protected information. There are instances, however, when hackers are attempting to do real damage to our information systems and to do us real harm, including by stealing innocent citizens’ private information. It’s entirely possible, then, for the average computer user in Delaware or anywhere around the country to unknowingly become a part of the attacks cyber criminals commit. That’s why I actively supported Delaware receiving this grant. Cyber security is something we all need to concern ourselves with.”

The focus of the training is to provide a structured approach to prepare state and local officials for possible cyber attacks. The actual training sessions begin April 7, with the course, Leading Cyber Security. This three-hour training course will establish a common frame of reference for participants including covering who computer hackers are, what they target, how they attack and what senior leaders can do to protect their communities.

“DTI has been a leader in implementing cyber security awareness and training in state government and we are thrilled by the opportunity to extend this comprehensive training and actual exercise experience to our local government peers,” said CIO Sills. “We welcome and need every possible resource to fight the attacks of cyber criminals and hackers.”