Brenda Marie Rivers
Govs. John Bel Edwards and Asa Hutchinson, together with Raytheon CEO and 2019 Wash100 Award recipent Thomas Kennedy, are calling for more interstate collaboration and public-private partnerships to address growing threats to U.S. cybersecurity.
Edwards, Hutchinson and Kennedy jointly wrote in an article published Tuesday that the country needs to “stand together against the rising tide of cybercrime that robs our citizens and businesses of their money, assets and privacy.â€
They urged businesses to collaborate with academic and government entities to support cyber research and workforce training programs such as the Raytheon-sponsored National Collegiate Cyberspace Defense Competition.
“The rise of internet-connected technology is helping bring new efficiencies to our everyday lives. But to keep our devices, systems, networks and infrastructure safe, we also need the best strategies, governance, and highly skilled workforce to defend them,†they added.
According to the piece, the government is largely responsible for the protection of crucial digital infrastructure with sensitive information including electoral systems, power grids, healthcare platforms, transportation and emergency response systems.
Asa Hutchinson serves for the state of Arkansas while John Bel Edwards is a governor for Louisiana as well as the creator of the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission.
