NCPRC’s proactive program will improve the cybersecurity resiliency of counties, so Zetron is extremely proud and eager to support this very important public safety initiative in Kansas.”
REDMOND, Wash. (PRWEB) March 14, 2023
Zetron, a global leader in integrated mission critical communications technology, announced today that the North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) of Kansas (USA) has awarded Zetron a contract to provide cyber resilience assessments and roadmaps for the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) of 34 counties across the state. This opportunity was funded by the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Kansas Highway Patrol’s Homeland Security/Emergency Operations unit applies for and administers the HSGP funding to awarded subrecipients, such as the NCRPC, as fiscal agent to six of the seven Homeland Security regions in the state of Kansas.
State and local governments - including police, fire departments and other public safety agencies - are increasingly falling victim to cybersecurity attacks. The public sector had the second most cybersecurity incidents and fourth most breaches of all major industries last year according to the Verizon 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR). Perhaps even more troubling for public safety, a 2021 Fastly report found that 45% of cybersecurity alerts are false positives, which are often difficult to discern from legitimate threats and malicious behavior. So precious time is wasted in emergency response operations where every second counts.
“Unfortunately, the threat, frequency and cost of cyber attacks on regional public safety organizations grows every year,” said Lisa Peters, Homeland Security Coordinator at the NCRPC. “The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) provides federal funding opportunities enabling us to work with Zetron at the county level to identify and assess the seriousness of any identified vulnerabilities, as well as develop specific plans to improve the cybersecurity posture and infrastructure of our critical public safety agencies.”
Zetron, with cybersecurity partner SecuLore Solutions, and local services partners, will complete cybersecurity assessments and roadmaps for 34 selected counties across Kansas, ranging in population from over 600,000 to less than 1,300 people. Assessments for each county will identify threats and provide prioritized, actionable recommendations to remediate vulnerabilities and improve the cybersecurity risk posture of counties.
“Malicious cyber activity is being aimed at public safety organizations with sometimes crippling and devastating efficiency,” said Scott French, President and Executive General Manager of Zetron. “No agency is too small or remote to be targeted, which is why it’s critical to understand the risks and have a plan to protect public safety infrastructure and operations efficacy, before being forced into reaction following a serious breach. NCPRC’s proactive program will improve the cybersecurity resiliency of counties, so Zetron is extremely proud and eager to support this very important public safety initiative in Kansas.”
Under the terms of the contract, cybersecurity assessments and roadmaps will be completed in multiple phases through March 2024 for Kansas counties selected by NCPRC Regional Project Managers and the Planning Team.
About Zetron
Zetron is a leading provider of communications technology and services that help save lives and enable critical operations. Zetron solutions are highly interoperable, configurable, and scalable, offering unrivaled choice, flexibility, and value. Our customers are located on all seven continents and across a variety of industries, including public safety, federal government, transportation, utilities, natural resources and more. With an exceptional reputation for high quality and reliability earned over decades of experience serving both public and private sectors, Zetron delivers solutions that are purpose-built to be always on, always ready — anywhere that uninterrupted mission critical communications are non-negotiable. For more information visit: http://www.zetron.com, join us on LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter @ZetronInc.