Category: Homeland Security

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

2024 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Provides Resources and Tools to Secure Our World and Keep Individuals, Businesses and Organizations Resilient to Cyber Attacks

WASHINGTON – Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced the kickoff of the 21^stCybersecurity Awareness Month. Throughout October, CISA and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) will focus on ways to “Secure Our World” by educating the public on how to stay safe online.  

This October and year-round, CISA challenges everyone to help secure our world by adopting four simple steps that everyone can take to stay safe online:  

• Use strong passwords that are long, random, and unique to each account, and use a password manager to generate them and to save them.
• Turn on multifactor authentication on all accounts that offer it. We need more than a password on our most important accounts, like email, social media, and financial accounts. 
• Recognize and report phishing, as we like to say, think before you click. Be cautious of unsolicited emails or texts or calls asking you for personal information, and don’t click on links or open attachments from unknown sources.
• Update software. In fact, enable automatic updates on software so the latest security patches keep devices we are connected to continuously up to date.

“CISA is excited to again partner with the National Cybersecurity Alliance and lead the federal government’s efforts to reduce online risk during this 21st Cybersecurity Awareness month and every month,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly.  “Our focus is working with government and industry to raise cybersecurity awareness and help everyone, from individuals to businesses to all levels of government, stay safe online in our ever-connected world. Protecting ourselves online is about taking a few simple, everyday steps to keep our digital lives safe.”

Additionally, CISA has developed guidance for specific audiences, including:  

• Individuals and families: CISA is emphasizing the importance of securing personal accounts, offering guidance on personal device safety, safe internet browsing practices, social media usage, and protecting personal information online.  
• Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs): SBMs face unique challenges, so CISA is working to help them Secure Our World by offering tools and resources that can help boost SMB’s cybersecurity defenses and minimizes the risk of data breaches or cyber-attacks, making not only our businesses, but our communities safer. 

CISA encourages everyone to explore the resources on our Cybersecurity Awareness Month website, which include a toolkit, tip sheets, and animated videos.   

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About CISA 

As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

Visit CISA.gov for more information and follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. 

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas issued the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security-Department of Justice joint final rule, following the joint interim final rule that the Departments issued in June. The joint final rule continues to limit asylum eligibility and significantly increase timely consequences for those who cross illegally at our southern border and have no legal basis to remain in the United States:

“In June, the Biden-Harris Administration took decisive action to strengthen our nation’s border security and deter irregular migration. That decisive action – the President’s Proclamation and the Departments’ joint interim final rule that implemented it – has been delivering results: illegal crossings at our southern border have dropped by more than 55 percent. The Departments of Homeland Security and Justice have now finalized the rule, which implements the President’s updated Proclamation. This action has been taken in parallel with other Administration actions that have both increased enforcement and delivered to asylum seekers safe and lawful pathways to humanitarian relief that cut out the ruthless smuggling organizations that prey on the vulnerable.

“In the past year, total removals and returns of people crossing illegally have exceeded the number of removals and returns in any fiscal year since 2010. We have worked with other countries to disrupt and dismantle the smuggling organizations, enhance their enforcement efforts, accept the return of migrants who do not qualify for relief, make irregular migration more difficult, and much more. In parallel, this Administration has taken new and innovative steps to provide humanitarian relief to individuals in need so that they do not have to migrate irregularly at tremendous peril, in the hands of the ruthless and powerful smuggling organizations. This Administration, with its international partners, has built safe mobility offices, increased refugee processing, built new labor pathways, provided new humanitarian relief processes, and increased family reunification.

“Yet, these efforts, impactful as they have been, are no substitute for Congressional action. We cannot provide the greater and more enduring systemic changes that America’s broken immigration system desperately needs because only Congress can do that. Nor can we provide the Department of Homeland Security and the other departments responsible for administering our nation’s immigration system with the personnel, resources, and tools needed to fully meet today’s border security challenges; Congress must do that.

“Our Administration worked closely with a bipartisan group of Senators earlier this year to help craft legislation that would have delivered the toughest and fairest border security measures in decades. It would have, for example, provided funding for 1,500 new Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; 1,200 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel; 4,300 additional asylum officers; and more than 10,000 additional detention beds. To sustain the progress the Biden-Harris Administration has made, and to build on it, Congress must pass the bipartisan border security bill.”

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

President Biden has Directed the FEMA Administrator to Remain in Asheville, North Carolina Until the Situation has Stabilized

WASHINGTON – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is on the ground today in North Carolina and will survey damage alongside Governor Roy Cooper. Criswell will remain on the ground in North Carolina until the situation has stabilized, as directed by President Biden. 

Today, there are 10 federal search and rescue teams are on the ground right now and another nine teams are on the way, for a total of more than 900 personnel actively supporting rescue efforts in affected areas.  

Health and Medical Task Forces and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams from the National Disaster Medical System continue their assessments in North Carolina for rapid deployment of support as needed. One team has started emergency department decompression at Mission Hospital in Asheville and is treating patients. Another team is moving to Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine to support emergency department decompression mission. 200 federal ambulances have been provided to the state.

To aide with communications, rescue crews are continuing to work in affected areas and utility crews are working to restore cell service and critical infrastructure to restore communications to the impacted areas. Administrator Criswell has directed her team to move fast on standing up communications. FEMA has provided 40 Starlink satellite systems to help with responder communications and additional satellites are being shipped to assist with communications infrastructure restoration. One Starlink will be deployed per county Emergency Operations Center to assist with communications and continuity of government. 

For families and people trying to get in touch with loved ones, they are encouraged to call 2-1-1 or visit UnitedWayNC.org to fill out a request form to add them to search and rescue efforts. 

Everyone should heed the warning of local officials and people should not travel to western North Carolina to keep the roadways clear. 

FEMA has two Incident Management Assessment Teams in North Carolina with additional personnel arriving.  These teams coordinate directly with the state to facilitate requests for assistance.

To ensure communities get urgent assistance including meals and water, FEMA has deployed 25 trailer-loads of meals, and 60 trailers-loads of water to the state to support response efforts.  A C-17 cargo plane full of food, water and other commodities has arrived at the forward operating base in Ashville with a daily flow of commodities established via air bridge. An additional 18 helicopters are on standby to help deliver additional commodities to affected areas. 

There are 29 shelters open with over 1,000 occupants. FEMA Disaster Survivor Teams will be out in the field, focusing on shelters, where they will assist survivors in applying for assistance.  

A generator support package is moving from Charlotte-Mecklenberg to Ashville, with another 30 generators enroute to the staging base in Mecklenburg.

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

LOS ANGELES – On September 26, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held an awards ceremony hosted by U.S. Secret Service (USSS), where 173 employees received a Secretary’s Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Department’s mission. 

“Every single day, with great determination, integrity, and skill, the 268,000 men and women of the Department of Homeland Security ensure the safety and security of the American people,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Thanks to these extraordinary public servants, our shores, harbors, skies, cyberspace, and borders are protected; fentanyl and other deadly drugs are prevented from entering our country; communities are able to recover and rebuild after a natural disaster; the scourges of human trafficking, forced labor, and online exploitation are mitigated; and so much more. The individuals we recognize today with our Department’s highest honor, the Secretary’s Award, reflect the very best of DHS – and in their selfless dedication to mission, the very best of public service.”

The DHS Secretary’s Awards are an annual program that recognizes the extraordinary individual and collective achievements of the workforce. The 173 awardees recognized in today’s ceremony represent U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).

 “In recognizing these outstanding DHS personnel with a Secretary’s Award, we recognize all our talented personnel; the achievements of one are not possible without the contributions of others,” added Secretary Mayorkas. “We also express our appreciation to their families and loved ones; when one serves, the family serves too.”

This year’s award recipients developed and issued policy and procedures associated with a whole-scale transition to a new pay system for TSA; launched a series of coordinated and collaborative initiatives, operations and investigations targeting Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and national security threats operating and transiting through the Darien Gap region; arrested over 8,000 human smugglers, produced over 5,000 intelligence reports, and seized over $38M USD in real property; ensured over 2,300 vital alerts and warnings were provided to owners and operators of critical infrastructure to protect against cyberattacks; among many other achievements. 

This year, DHS is holding nine Secretary’s Awards ceremonies across the country, honoring over 1,700 employees, the most annual awardees ever. 

Last year, Secretary Mayorkas unveiled 12 priorities for the Department, including a commitment to champion the workforce and transform the employee experience. DHS has the third largest workforce of any federal department, behind the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department is home to more than 92,000 sworn law enforcement officers, the greatest number of law enforcement officers of any department in the federal government. DHS has committed to increasing the representation of women in law enforcement or related occupations at DHS to 30% by 2030. Over 54,000 veterans, or nearly 21% of the workforce, continue serving their country by working at DHS. 

DHS operational components interact more frequently on a daily basis with the American public than any other federal department, from travelers moving through air, land, and sea ports of entry, to businesses importing goods into the country, to immigrants applying for services. To learn more about the impact DHS makes every day, visit: DHS.gov/TodayDHSWill.

Last year, DHS improved the efficiency of processing noncitizens at the Southwest Border, deployed across the country to respond to natural disasters, investigated cybercrimes, created a new streamlined process for adjudicating asylum applications, safely and securely resettled nearly 90,000 evacuated Afghans in the United States, provided resources for organizations to enhance their cybersecurity resilience, established a process for Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge, secured the 2022 midterm elections, and demonstrated heroism by acting quickly and courageously to save lives in harrowing circumstances. 

For the full list of awardees, visit  2024 Secretary’s Awards | Homeland Security (dhs.gov). 

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

During emergency events, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) works with its federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners to support the needs of the people in the areas that may be impacted.

In such circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remind the public that sites that provide emergency response and relief are considered protected areas. To the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones.

At the request of FEMA or local and state authorities, ICE and CBP may help conduct search and rescue, air traffic de-confliction and public safety missions. ICE and CBP provide emergency assistance to individuals regardless of their immigration status. DHS officials do not and will not pose as individuals providing emergency-related information as part of any enforcement activities.

DHS is committed to ensuring that every individual who seeks shelter, aid, or other assistance as a result of a natural disaster or emergency event is able to do so regardless of their immigration status.

DHS carries out its mission without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, ethnicity, disability or political associations, and in compliance with law and policy.

For information about filing a complaint with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties about these matters, please visit our Make a Civil Rights Complaint page.

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

New Resources Will Help K-12 Schools and Law Enforcement Entities Create Tailored Approaches to Addressing Anonymous Threats of Violence

WASHINGTON – Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for and prevent future threats, and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when these threats arise. It is co-sealed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which provided expert feedback on the toolkit’s key principles and strategies.

Social media-based and other types of anonymous threats of violence against K-12 institutions are common. These threats can erode trust that schools are safe places, contribute to losses in learning and instruction time, overwhelm school and law enforcement resources and have lasting psychological impacts on school communities.

“K-12 schools across the country are experiencing a scourge of anonymous threats of violence. School leaders need scalable solutions to navigate these ever-evolving and burdensome threats,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “The K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance provides step-by-step approaches to help schools better assess and respond to these threats, as well as take action to mitigate future risks in coordination with their law enforcement and other community partners.”

“Families, students and educators should not have to question whether they’re safe when they walk into a classroom,” said FBI Office of Partner Engagement Assistant Director, Robert Contee. “In the face of these ongoing school threats, the strategies the FBI and our partners at CISA put together will hopefully prepare our educators and administrators to maneuver through difficult challenges. The more parents, teachers and administrators know, the more likely we are to keep our kids safe. The FBI is dedicated to safeguarding schools and communities who are impacted by anonymous threats, but we also want to urge parents to talk with their children about the consequences that come with making these threats. We all need to work together.”

The K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance was developed to provide K-12 stakeholders with information to both protect school communities and limit the disruption and trauma that can be caused by anonymous threats of violence. By providing guidance to inform decision-making about the urgency and credibility of individual threats, school and public safety leaders may be able to more effectively balance the full range of risks faced by K-12 organizations.

The toolkit emphasizes six key strategies for schools to consider when addressing anonymous threats:

• Build awareness about reporting to detect threats early and deter future threats.
• Develop a partnership structure that will help address threats. This includes school administrators, law enforcement personnel and mental health professionals.
• Engage law enforcement to manage threat situations and decide when to scale response actions up or down.
• Balance initial response steps to ensure the campus is safe. Most critically, treat each threat as credible, and from there, work with necessary partners to determine how to approach an immediate response.
• When appropriate, tap into multidisciplinary threat assessment teams to support interventions and expedite response if the subject who made the threat becomes known.
• Take steps throughout the school year to prepare for threats. Establish a response protocol and practice other types of emergency management activities, such as training exercises for staff.

Today’s release also includes a supplemental reference guide that provides streamlined information for K-12 stakeholders to understand and utilize some of the best practices from the full toolkit. Both products were developed to support the diverse range of K-12 school settings across the United States and are based on current practices of K-12 organizations and law enforcement agencies.

The new toolkit and guide were announced at CISA’s 2024 National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security, an annual event that brings together K-12 school leaders and practitioners to discuss and share actionable recommendations that enhance safe and supportive learning environments.

To learn more and access the K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance, please click here. 

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About CISA 

As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

Visit CISA.gov for more information and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. 

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

During emergency events, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) works with its federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners to support the needs of the people in the areas that may be impacted.

In such circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remind the public that sites that provide emergency response and relief are considered protected areas. To the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones.

At the request of FEMA or local and state authorities, ICE and CBP may help conduct search and rescue, air traffic de-confliction and public safety missions. ICE and CBP provide emergency assistance to individuals regardless of their immigration status. DHS officials do not and will not pose as individuals providing emergency-related information as part of any enforcement activities.

DHS is committed to ensuring that every individual who seeks shelter, aid, or other assistance as a result of a natural disaster or emergency event is able to do so regardless of their immigration status.

DHS carries out its mission without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, ethnicity, disability or political associations, and in compliance with law and policy.

For information about filing a complaint with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties about these matters, please visit our Make a Civil Rights Complaint page.

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

Annual #SeeSayDay is September 25 

Encourages Public to “Spot the Signs. Report the Activity.” 

Today the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is observing  #SeeSayDay, the “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign’s annual national awareness day. This year’s theme, “Spot the Signs. Report the Activity,” highlights the crucial role of public vigilance in national security and counter-terrorism efforts within the current threat environment. The #SeeSayDay call-to-action urges individuals to spot and report suspicious activity to help prevent terrorism-related crime – on September 25, and year-round.  

“Ensuring our collective security takes all of us, working together and looking out for each other,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Saying something when you see something could be the difference between life and death for a family member, friend, neighbor, or someone you don’t even know. Encourage your friends and others in your community to do the same, and we can help prevent tragedies and make our whole country safer.” 

A 2024 RAND study of 628 plots targeting soft targets and crowded places found 64% of foiled attack plots were stopped because of public tips. The DHS “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign, launched in July 2010 in conjunction with the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, reinforces that we must always be alert, and when we have information about a terrorism-related threat, speak up. The campaign aims to inspire Americans to participate in national security and foster positive relationships between citizens and law enforcement. On #SeeSayDay each year, DHS and its campaign partners across the country come together to remind the public that our American communities have a collective stake in homeland security.  

Members of the public are encouraged to get involved on #SeeSayDay in several ways: 

• Learn the 16 signs of suspicious activity. Remember: Factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or gender identity are not suspicious.  

• Find and save your SAR number. Navigate to the campaign’s interactive map to look up the appropriate Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) number for wherever you live, work, vacation, or spend time – then save that number in your phone. As always, call 9-1-1 immediately for any emergencies. 

• Use social media to spread the word. Access ready-to-use graphics, pre-drafted captions, and newsletter content that you can share on your personal or organization’s social media platforms and other communication channels to help raise awareness and promote this year’s theme on #SeeSayDay. Use the hashtag #SeeSayDay to note your involvement! 

• Stay connected year-round. Learn more about the campaign, how to become a partner, and access other resources to share with your communities on September 25 or anytime of the year. 

For more information on #SeeSayDay, visit DHS.gov/SeeSayDay.  

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, in consultation with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, designated Qatar into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The collaboration and information sharing at the core of the VWP will significantly enhance the security interests of the United States in addition to encouraging legitimate travel and commerce between the two nations. 

Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken commend Qatar for meeting the stringent security requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Qatar has been an exceptional partner for the United States, and our strategic relationship has only grown stronger over the past few years. This is further evidence of our strategic partnership and our shared commitment to security and stability. By meeting the VWP requirements, Qatar becomes the first Gulf country to enter the program and we encourage additional partners to meet all program requirements to allow for entry into the program in the interest of advancing bilateral and regional security cooperation. 

“The Visa Waiver Program is one of our most successful security initiatives. Qatar’s participation in the program increases information sharing regarding one of the world’s busiest travel and transfer hubs, strengthening the security of the United States,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I commend our Qatari partners for meeting the stringent requirements in this agreement entails and look forward to our continued work together on behalf of our respective countries.” 

“Qatar’s fulfillment of the stringent security requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program will deepen our strategic partnership and enhance the flow of people and commerce between our two countries. Qatar’s entry will make travel between the United States and Qatar safer, more secure, and easier for both Americans and Qataris,” said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. 

The VWP builds comprehensive security partnerships between the United States and designated countries that meet strict requirements related to counterterrorism, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, document security, and border managemnt. These requirements include that the country have a rate of nonimmigrant visa refusals below 3% during the previous fiscal year; issues secure travel documents; extends reciprocal entry privileges to all U.S. citizens and nationals without regard to national origin, religion, ethnicity, or gender; and works closely with U.S. law enforcement and counterterrorism authorities. Qatar put forth a significant whole-of-government effort to meet all program requirements, including entering into partnerships with the United States to share information on terrorism and serious crimes. As with all VWP countries, DHS will continually monitor Qatar’s compliance with all program requirements. 

Starting no later than December 1, 2024, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) online application and mobile app will be updated to allow citizens and nationals of Qatar to apply to travel to the United States for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days without first obtaining a U.S. visa. These authorizations are generally valid for two years. Travelers with valid B-1/B-2 visas may continue to use their visa for travel to the United States, and B-1/B-2 visas will remain an option for Qatari citizens. ESTA applications may be found at esta.cbp.dhs.gov or download the “ESTA Mobile” app through the iOS App Store or the Google Play store. 

U.S. citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to Qatar, and beginning October 1, 2024, will be eligible to stay in Qatar for up to 90 days instead of the previous 30-day limit if they have a passport that is valid for at least three months from arrival and a confirmed hotel booking on arrival. 

Under the VWP, citizens and nationals of Qatar will be able to apply for authorization to travel to the United States through the ESTA online or mobile app at a date to be announced shortly after Qatar’s VWP admission. Participating countries are reviewed at least biennially, as required in statute, to ensure they continue to meet all program requirements. 

Qatar will be the 42^nd member of the VWP and the third country added under Secretary Mayorkas’s tenure (Croatia in 2021 and Israel in 2023). More information on the VWP can be found at www.dhs.gov/visa-waiver-program. 

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

First-of-Its-Kind Cybersecurity Grant Program Enters Third Year 

WASHINGTON- Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced the availability of $279.9 million in grant funding for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP). Now in its third year, this program provides funding to state, local, and territorial (SLT) governments to help reduce cyber risk and build resilience against evolving cybersecurity threats. Established by the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, and part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the SLCGP provides approximately $1 billion in funding over four years to support SLT governments as they develop capabilities to detect, protect against, and respond to cyber threats.

“In the modern threat landscape, every community can – and too often does – face sophisticated cyberattacks on vital systems like hospitals, schools, and electrical grids,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program empowers key intergovernmental partners with the tools and support necessary to increase resilience and better secure critical infrastructure. Our message to communities everywhere is simple: do not underestimate the reach or ruthlessness of nefarious cyber actors. Through initiatives like the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program we can confront these threats together.”

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly administer this program. CISA provides expertise and guidance on cybersecurity issues while FEMA manages the grant award and allocation process. Award recipients may use funding for a wide range of cybersecurity improvements and capabilities, including cybersecurity planning and exercising, hiring cyber personnel, and improving the services that citizens rely on daily.

“These cyber grants are an investment in the security of our nation’s infrastructure, helping to ensure that communities across the country have the tools they need to defend against cyberattacks,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “CISA is proud to offer the SLCGP, helping governments lay a solid foundation for building a sustainable and resilient cybersecurity program for the future.” 

“FEMA is committed to helping our partners address and withstand cybersecurity threats to both infrastructure and systems,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “Thanks to funding from the Biden-Harris Administration, state, local, tribal and territorial governments will be able to build their capacity to better protect themselves from evolving cyber threats.”

Eligible entities have from September 23 until Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 5 pm ET to apply for funds, via FEMA GO. For more information and helpful resources on the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, visit CISA’s webpage: cisa.gov/cybergrants.