Bill creating cyber civilian corps advances to Indiana Senate

A bill that would establish a civilian corps to help Indiana respond to cyberattacks on public agencies is now headed to the state Senate.

House Bill 1266 received unanimous support from the House. Authored by state Rep. Chris Judy, R-Fort Wayne, it would set up the Indiana Cyber Civilian Corps Program Advisory Board. That panel would advise lawmakers on how to create a pool of civilian expert volunteers that could be deployed, when needed, by the state’s adjutant general.

Those who want to participate in the corps would need to submit to a background check and be cleared by the state police.

“It’s my hope that Hoosiers who are knowledgeable about cybersecurity will help protect our communities from these ongoing threats,” Judy said. “This bill is about giving us more tools to combat these issues quickly, which could protect Hoosiers and their information and critical infrastructure.”

Cyberattacks can take many forms. Malware enters devices through opened email attachments or downloaded applications and can give hackers unauthorized access to computer systems and files. Ransomware can block user access until the rightful owner pays the hacker, and denial of service attacks can shut down websites people use for various reasons.

Public-sector systems can be prime targets for cyberattacks because they often house data criminals find valuable. That can include Social Security numbers, addresses and financial information.

The International City/ County Management Association noted in a report that local governments can face “financial constraints” that can keep them from implementing the technology needed to protect records and pay highly trained workers at a rate comparable to the private sector.

According to a report last year from IBM, the average cost to a public sector agency that fell victim to a cyberattack was nearly $2.1 million, an increase of more than 7% from 2021.

Judy noted a 2019 malware attack in Howard County sought access to financial information from taxpayers. In 2022, the Indianapolis Housing Authority’s system was offline for weeks after a ransomware attack.

“In the 21st century, the new warfare is cyber,” Judy said. “Whether that’s malware or ransomware or phishing emails, it’s hitting businesses, critical infrastructure, hospitals and government. And while we see many cases in the news, there are many more we don’t hear about.”