CyberOhio to Offer Services to Local Government Agencies

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday that CyberOhio will offer free services to local government entities to boost their cybersecurity preparedness.

The new Ohio Persistent Cyber Improvement program will guide local agencies through three cybersecurity preparedness levels. Each level will consist of a five-step process for cybersecurity advancement: education, training, exercising, mentoring and improvement.

“The O-PCI program is a significant step forward for Ohio,” DeWine said in a news release announcing the program. “The threat of cyberattacks is increasing every year, and we must give our local partners the training and support they need to protect themselves from cybercriminals.”

The O-PCI program was developed by CyberOhio with the help of the Homeland Security Advisory Committee – Cyber. The committee, led by Kirk Herath, cybersecurity strategic advisor to DeWine, is a collaborative effort between state agencies, local government entities, public sector partners and cybersecurity experts. 

The program will be funded by the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The program will receive $4.9 million in its first year. 

“In today’s world, strengthening cybersecurity is more important than ever,” Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. “This new resource will be a helpful service to our partners on the local level, arming them with the tools they need to prevent cyberattacks, building up cyber resilience and helping to protect Ohioans.”

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.