Testimony submitted to the House State Affairs Committee on the Interim Charge to study cybersecurity preparedness in state agencies and contractors.

Invest Texas Council (ITC) is a policy-oriented organization founded to champion public-private partnerships across economic sectors. Cybersecurity is one such partnership opportunity and must become an urgent priority for state and local government. Rapidly evolving technological advancements, coupled with increased threats on the international stage, require cooperation and information-sharing between the public and private sectors to better identify and mitigate malicious threats.

Texas witnessed such dangers when a 2019 assault hit more than 20 small towns, threatening gas and meat supplies. Dozens of school districts have also fallen prey to breaches, with several forced to pay “ransoms.” High profile national incidents have included the SolarWinds event that breached multiple U.S. government agencies and infiltration of Colonial Pipeline that led to significant fuel shortages along the East Coast.