The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the awarding of US$18.2 million in the inaugural Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program. The initiative, part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which includes the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to bolster the cybersecurity resilience of federally recognized tribal nations.
Administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the grants aim to help tribal nations manage and mitigate systemic cyber risks and threats. With more than 30 grants awarded, this marks the highest number of such awards given to tribal nations in a single DHS grant program. The FEMA-administered program leverages CISA’s capabilities to support grant recipients.
Digital threats impacting American Indian and Alaska Native tribes are increasing and becoming more complex, and tribal sovereignty creates unique cybersecurity challenges for these communities that have been consistently underfunded and under-resourced. This program is another example of a unified approach across DHS.
The Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program will fund efforts to establish critical governance frameworks for Tribal Nations to address cyber threats and vulnerabilities, identify key vulnerabilities and evaluate needed capabilities, implement measures to mitigate the threats and develop a 21st-century cyber workforce across local communities.
All recipients must participate in a limited number of free services provided by CISA. These services include Cyber Hygiene Vulnerability Scanning which evaluates external network presence by continuously scanning public, static internet protocol (IPs) for accessible services and vulnerabilities; and Nationwide Cybersecurity Review using a free, anonymous, annual self-assessment designed to measure gaps and capabilities of a recipient’s cybersecurity programs.
The grants will significantly improve national resilience to cyber threats by giving tribal nations much-needed resources to address network security and take steps to protect against cybersecurity risks to help them strengthen their communities. In addition, federally recognized tribes are eligible to apply for millions more in tribal cybersecurity funding that will be announced later this year.
“For far too long, Tribal Nations have faced digital and cybersecurity threats without the resources necessary to build resilience,” Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, said in a media statement. “The Department of Homeland Security’s first-ever Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program awards announced today – made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – will help tribes and tribal communities ensure they have the tools to assess risks, implement solutions, and increase cyber defenses.”
“With these first-ever Tribal Cybersecurity Grants, we are not just addressing immediate needs, but also reinforcing the infrastructure that supports the sovereignty and resilience of Tribal Nations,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “This funding, benefitting the largest number of tribal recipients to build cybersecurity resilience in FEMA’s history, is a testament to our dedication to a safer, more secure future for all communities.”
“These grants will help Tribal Nations combat the growing cyber threats they face every day and build resilience for their critical infrastructure,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said. “We’re proud to work with our federal partners to help Tribal Nations strengthen their cybersecurity.”
Last month, Mayorkas released strategic guidance to bolster critical infrastructure security and resilience. Originating from President Joe Biden’s National Security Memorandum (NSM-22), this directive instructs federal agencies, critical infrastructure owners, and other stakeholders to focus on specific risk areas. Additionally, it outlines priorities for the 2024-2025 national critical infrastructure risk management cycle defined in NSM-22.
This post was originally published on the 3rd party site mentioned in the title of this this site