STARKVILLE — Cyber attacks, including data breaches and hacking, are increasingly common. Cybersecurity is a costly and evolving field where law enforcement and government officials compete against skilled criminals who use technology to cause disruption and chaos.
These crimes aren’t limited to large cities and large companies in international financial centers. On April 19, OCH Regional Medical Center made public what they called a “recent” (?) data breach that on Sept. 6, 2023 exposed what they first said was “as many as 67,000 files.”
That figure was later amended to reflect that “unauthorized individuals gained access to 51,266 files in OCH’s possession” and that the breach wasn’t discovered until Sept. 14, 2023. The hospital reported on their website: “Following a thorough and ongoing investigation, it was determined that the unauthorized party may have accessed certain patient records, which could include information such as name, Social Security number, date of birth, phone number, address, diagnosis, disability code, account number, and insurance and payer information.”
The point here is not to skewer OCH but to clearly point out that we are all susceptible to cybersecurity attacks and that well-meaning business, governmental, and even sometimes military officials struggle to stay ahead of the criminals.
The expense of cybersecurity is exorbitant and growing. Total spending for U.S. government, military, and private sector cybersecurity efforts for the current fiscal year is estimated to be around $27.5 billion. Global spending on cybersecurity is forecast to increase to $377 billion annually by 2028.
On March 19, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that shifted some of the responsibility from the federal government to states and localities to improve their infrastructure to address risks, including cybercrimes. Federal cuts have also reduced resources for state and local officials, including a cybersecurity grant program.
Mississippi, unlike some 22 states, is deemed prepared for these changes structurally and is surprisingly well-regarded nationally in terms of cybersecurity planning and infrastructure.
The Mississippi Cyber Initiative was established in 2021 to position the state as a leader in the field and identify cyber issues as a stabilizing force in the state’s existing economy as a jobs creator for the state’s future economic development particularly on the state’s Gulf Coast region.
Implementing partners were Mississippi State University, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, University of Southern Mississippi and the Mississippi National Guard. Academic partners included MSU, USM MGCCC, Mississippi College, Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, Ole Miss, Delta State, East Mississippi CC, and Holmes CC.
State partners include the State Department of Education, Miss. Gaming Commission, Miss. Dept. of Public Safety, Miss. Emergency Management Agency, the Miss. Attorney General’s Office, the Miss. National Guard, and the State Dept. of Information Technology Services. Federal partners include the U.S. Dept. of Justice, the Dept. of Homeland Security, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In 2023, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety established that the Mississippi Cyber Unit, a component of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, would be the state’s centralized cybersecurity threat information, mitigation and incident reporting and response center.
In January, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves and MSU President Mark Keenum headlined the official signing of agreements officially launching construction of a 100,000-square-foot building on Keesler Air Force Base that serves as the headquarters for the MSU-led Mississippi Center for Cyber & Technology to enhance state and federal cybersecurity capabilities. The state-of-the-art facility and collaborations that will support community and military needs as well.
“The Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center will fortify and strengthen Keesler’s mission and the Gulf Coast’s status as a national hub for cybersecurity expertise through training, research and outreach,” Keenum said. “It’s the perfect example of the power of partnerships and what we can accomplish by working together.”
Reeves shares Keenum’s vision: “The Cyber Center will strengthen Keesler’s mission to train cyber warriors, and it will serve as a hub for academic achievement and economic development for cyber, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technology companies and agencies. In short, the future is here in Mississippi.”
Sid Salter is a syndicated columnist. Contact him at [emailprotected].
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