Published on April 28th, 2022 📆 | 6317 Views ⚑
0Ohio governor names cybersecurity strategic adviser, a ‘critical’ new role
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine this week named Kirk Herath as his cybersecurity strategic adviser, a new position created to āprevent cyberattacks against state government.ā
Herath, an adjunct professor of law at Cleveland State University and Ohio Stateās Moritz College of Law, was also serving as chairman of CyberOhio, the stateās cybersecurity advisory board. He spent 32 years at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, retiring as a vice president, associate general counsel and chief privacy officer.
In a press release, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted called the new role ācritical to help keep our state safe.ā The position was created by an executive order in which DeWine cites several statewide cybersecurity initiatives, including CyberOhio and the Ohio Cyber Reserve, a civilian volunteer group commanded by the stateās adjutant general.
The order calls for a āunified approachā among state agencies to guide the stateās cyber initiatives. The main roles of the cybersecurity strategic adviser are to lead that coordination, protect the stateās data and infrastructure, develop a cyber-response plan, develop uniform reporting standards and support state agencies, local governments and academic institutions throughout the state.Ā
Herath is also directed to work with the Ohio Department of Public Safety, its Department of Homeland Security and other agencies, the National Guard, the Office of Information Security and Privacy, the Ohio Department of Higher Education and other agencies involved in shoring up the stateās cybersecurity.Ā
The order notes the adviser āmay also develop plans to engage the private sector in its statewide efforts of cyber protection activities and for workforce development in Ohio.ā
Other governors have created similar roles. Most recently, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in March named a senior adviser for cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, a reaction to āpotentially crippling Russian cyberattacks.ā
Gloss