Cyber funding cuts could expose Minnesota, IT head warns
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Minnesota's top IT official is warning that a prolonged pause or cancellation of federal cybersecurity funding could leave counties, schools and towns without a "deadbolt on the door" to protect sensitive data.
Why it matters: Local and state governments have become hot targets for hackers and other cyber criminals trying to steal, exploit and expose personal information for financial gain.
State of play: The cybersecurity funding was among the roughly two dozen major federal grant programs totaling $100 million that Minnesota Management and Budget identified last month as on pause or otherwise disrupted while under review by the Trump administration.
By the numbers: The $10.8 million in cybersecurity grants in question provide protection for 55,000 devices at about 200 agencies and entities statewide, MNIT commissioner Tarek Tomes told Axios.
- About $8.2 million of that money has already been disbursed to cities and townships, counties, tribal nations and school districts, MNIT confirmed to Axios.
Threat level: The agency says there are "no immediate impacts" from the funding hold, with current grant activities and scheduled reimbursements approved to continue at this time.
- But Tomes says he's concerned that any decision to reduce or pull future funds could strip local entities of the "most rudimentary and fundamental level of defense against cyber" crimes.
What he's saying: "When you have this layer of protection, the door rattling doesn't really work," Tomes said of the cybersecurity tools, training and risk assessments funded by the program. "When you don't have this layer of protection, threat actors learn that [the] sector is really vulnerable."
What we're watching: A pledge by a top Trump administration official to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees the cybersecurity grants, could have "drastic consequences for Minnesota," MNIT warns.
- "If those programs are put at risk, those [local] organizations are put at risk," Tomes said. "They generally don't have funding to afford a professional level of...protection."
Between the lines: Schools and governments in Minnesota have confronted a number of high-profile hacking incidents in recent years.
- Just last week, a national educational software provider disclosed a data breach that compromised personal data for thousands of students at dozens of Minnesota schools.
- And last weekend, a "cyber incident" targeting the Lower Sioux Indian Community took slot machines and other systems at the Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel offline.
What's next: MNIT hasn't received further guidance from the administration on the future of these programs or the timing of any decisions, but is monitoring the situation closely, a spokesperson said.
Go deeper: Cyber attacks against schools, local governments are up. Here's what Minnesota is doing about it