The
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) has initiated the coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds to provide resources to organizations affected by the pandemic. The funds can be used for support of public health expenditures, premium pay for essential workers, replacing lost public sector revenue, or the investment in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.
The Interim Final Rule
The
Interim Final Rule was made effective in May of 2021 that specifies that state and local government organizations can use the funding to invest in the “modernization of cybersecurity, including hardware, software, and protection of critical infrastructure.”
The rule also states, “Fiscal Recovery Funds may be used for cybersecurity needs to protect water or sewer infrastructure, such as developing effective cybersecurity practices and measures at drinking water systems and publicly owned treatment works.”
Why Use Government Funding for Cybersecurity?
The pandemic has increased state and local organization’s vulnerability to cyber-attacks. Between increased use of the cloud, the rise of sophisticated ransomware attacks, and challenges associated with remote working environments, developing effective cybersecurity practices is more important than ever.
Among government agencies, cybersecurity best practices are quickly becoming a requirement. Following cybercrime costs nearly reaching $1 trillion in 2020 (according to Palo Alto Networks), President Joe Biden issued an executive order that established best practices for cybersecurity, increased communication between federal and private sectors, and new standards surrounding cybersecurity protocols. Implementing regular assessments and proven solutions are effective in reducing your organization’s attack surface and helping to prevent and detect attacks.
