State announces cyber-disruption plan

By
-
FROM LEFT: David Smith, director of the R.I.Emergency Management Agency; U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin, co-founder of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus; and Doug White, RICDT member and director of the Forensics Applied Networking and Security Center at Roger Williams University. /
FROM LEFT: David Smith, director of the R.I.Emergency Management Agency; U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin, co-founder of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus; and Doug White, RICDT member and director of the Forensics Applied Networking and Security Center at Roger Williams University. /

CRANSTON – The State Emergency Operations Plan now includes a response plan for protecting cyber infrastructure from disruption by a natural disaster, virus or attack.
The state also established a Cyber Disruption Team, which includes members of the State Police Computer Crimes Unit and citizens from higher education, health care, finance, utilities and defense. The team, let by R.I. State Police Lt. Nick Tella, will ensure that disrupted critical cyber systems are restored. In addition to Tella, the team’s core members are:

  • Ken Bell, R.I. State Police.
  • Christine Crocker, Rhode Island State Policy Computer Crimes Unit.
  • Robert Fitzpatrick, Providence Police Department.
  • Jacob Fonseca, University of Rhode Island Digital Forensics Center
  • Anthony Heywood, city of Providence Information Technology.
  • Doug White, Roger Williams University Forensics Applied Networking and Security Center.
    Rhode Island is one of the first states in the nation to implement a cyber disruption plan. Massachusetts and New Hampshire are now developing their own. The three states are working together to create regional response plans as well.
    Rhode Island’s plan, called the State Cyber Disruption Annex, was developed by the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Rhode Island National Guard and other public and private entities such as internet and utility providers.
    Rep. Jim Langevin announced the state’s new cybersecurity team July 11 at Dell SecureWorks in Warwick.

    • RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

    No posts to display