Gov. Edwards Activates State Resources to Assist With Ongoing Cybersecurity Incident

On Wednesday, July 24, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statewide Emergency Declaration in response to an ongoing cybersecurity incident that is affecting several local government agencies. The declaration makes available state resources and allows for assistance from cybersecurity experts from the Louisiana National Guard, Louisiana State Police, the Office of Technology Services and others to assist local governments in responding to and preventing future data loss.

The cybersecurity incident has already impacted school systems in Sabine, Morehouse, and Ouachita parishes in North Louisiana. The state is in contact with parish school systems and governments across the state to assess further areas that may be at risk.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) has activated its Crisis Action Team and also the Emergency Services Function-17 to coordinate the response to this cybersecurity incident. So far, the state is coordinating with the FBI, state agencies and higher education partners.

“The state was made aware of a malware attack on a few north Louisiana school systems and we have been coordinating a response ever since,” Gov. Edwards said. “This is exactly why we established the Cyber Security Commission, focused on preparing for, responding to and preventing cybersecurity attacks, and we are well-positioned to assist local governments as they battle this current threat.”

In 2017, Gov. Edwards established the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission which is a statewide partnership comprised of key stakeholders, subject matter experts, and cybersecurity professionals from Louisiana’s public sector, private industry, academia, and law enforcement.

This is the first activation of Louisiana’s emergency support function relating to cybersecurity, which is newly created in Louisiana, in anticipation of the threat of cyber attacks. Right now, Louisiana State Police, the Louisiana National Guard, GOHSEP, the state Office of Technology Services, and other agencies are coordinating the response and determining future actions. 

  • Click here to see the Emergency Declaration.

Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission 

To address the growing cyber threat to networks, personal privacy, and critical infrastructure, Governor Jon Bel Edwards established the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission. The Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission is a statewide partnership comprised of key stakeholders, subject matter experts, and cybersecurity professionals from Louisiana’s public sector, private industry, academia, and law enforcement. The Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission serves as an advisory body to the State of Louisiana Senior Administration Officials in matters related to cybersecurity.

The mission of the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission is to advance the State’s cyber ecosystem and position Louisiana as a national leader and preferred location for cyber business, education, and research.