The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has announced the launch of its new Cybersecurity Shared Services Pilot Program, which is designed to deliver cutting-edge cybersecurity shared services on a voluntary basis to critical infrastructure entities such as the healthcare, water, and K-12 education sectors.
Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA, discussed the program’s focus on leveraging new authorities from Congress to support 100 non-federal organizations’ cybersecurity needs as part of the pilot’s first phase this year.
“Scaling CISA-managed cybersecurity services for the segments of our critical infrastructure community that need it most is a cost-effective way to gain greater insight into our evolving threat environment, establish a common baseline of cyber protection, and, most importantly, reduce the frequency and impact of damaging cyber events,” stated Goldstein.
Last month, CISA deployed the Protective Domain Name System (DNS) Resolver pilot program to Federal agencies, and will now be extending the use of the DNS service to ensure “Target Rich, Resource Poor” critical infrastructure entities can be protected with the same effective Federal tools.
“Through this pilot program, we are identifying critical infrastructure entities interested in leveraging CISA-provided commercial shared services, stress-testing our service delivery mechanisms, and demonstrating our ability to acquire, deploy, and operate these cybersecurity services at-scale,” said Goldstein in a Nov. 17 release.
Additionally, CISA will be hosting roundtables and information sessions with key stakeholders from different infrastructure sectors to discuss the unique challenges that certain areas face to meet their cybersecurity needs effectively.
“The insights obtained through these discussions and as a result of the Protective DNS pilot will inform our effort to better serve our nation’s critical infrastructure organizations,” stated Goldstein.
“As America’s Cyber Defense Agency, we believe the ability to provide cost-effective, highly scalable, and innovative solutions to critical infrastructure entities in need of assistance is vital to our national cyber mission,” he said. “As the cyber threat environment continues to evolve and the potential impacts on everyday life become more real, the need for collective cyber defense increases.”
