The Critical Infrastructure Protection Program

Cyber Florida at the University of South Florida, the state’s leading cybersecurity resource, is pleased to announce a new effort under the CyberSecureFlorida program: the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Program. Stemming from the success of the recently completed Critical Infrastructure Risk Assessment (CIRA) program funded by the Florida Legislature in 2022, the CIP program takes the next step to provide no-cost resources, tools, and guidance to Florida’s public and private critical infrastructure entities to help mitigate their cyberattack vulnerabilities.  

The CIP Program is intended to assist small and medium-sized enterprises and resource-constrained county and municipal government entities in implementing basic cybersecurity protocols and policies to achieve a fundamental cybersecurity posture. This comprehensive initiative is designed to fortify the cybersecurity resilience of public and private critical infrastructure across the state. 

In an era of increasing cyber threats, safeguarding critical infrastructure is paramount. The CyberSecureFlorida CIP program aims to empower organizations by providing high-quality cybersecurity resources, training, and support to defend against evolving cyber risks. Some of the new resources available include the following: 

• A 20-question Entry-Level Assessment based on the most-reported weaknesses from the initial risk assessment program. The Entry-Level Assessment will help organizations immediately see how their cybersecurity protocols measure up in the high-risk areas. 
• A Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan Template to help organizations think through and plan ahead for how to weather and recover from a cyber incident. 
• A full, 156-question Risk Assessment that covers key cybersecurity protocols outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework as well as ransomware readiness. Both this and the Entry-Level Assessment are provided by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) through a customized instance of their highly regarded Cyber Security Evaluation Tool (CSET)®. 

“CyberSecureFlorida: Critical Infrastructure Protection Program represents a significant step forward in our commitment to fortifying the cybersecurity defenses of government entities and critical infrastructure businesses,” said Bryan Langley, Lead Program Manager at Cyber Florida. “By fostering collaboration, offering targeted training, and leveraging the expertise of our cybersecurity professionals, we aim to elevate the cybersecurity resilience of these vital sectors,” he said. 

To learn more about the CyberSecureFlorida CIP program and how your organization can participate, please visit the program’s official webpage: https://cyberflorida.org/cipp. For inquiries, please contact the program lead, Bryan Langley at bjlangley@cyberflorida.org.