Federal Agencies Likely to Get New Cybersecurity Guidance In Coming Weeks

It is also noted that, like any other Covered Entity, an insurance company may also be a Third Party Service Provider and/or Authorized User with respect to another Covered Entity, including an independent insurance agent. For purposes of this subsection, “external audit” means an audit that is conducted by an entity other than the state agency that is the subject of the audit. The date on which the state agency most recently backed up its data; the physical location of the backup, if the backup was affected; and if the backup was created using cloud computing.

DFS plans to extend the new cybersecurity supervision tools to all regulated entities in 2022. The Department believes that analysis of unsuccessful threats is critically important to the ongoing development and improvement of cybersecurity programs, and Covered Entities are encouraged to continually develop their threat Agency Cybersecurity assessment programs. Notice of the especially serious unsuccessful attacks may be useful to the Department in carrying out its broader supervisory responsibilities, and the knowledge shared through such notice can be used to timely improve cybersecurity generally across the industries regulated by the Department.

To the extent a Covered Entity relies on an Affiliate's cybersecurity program in whole or in part, that program must be made available for examination by the Department. Depending on the facts and circumstances, the same entity can be a Covered Entity, an Authorized User, and a Third Party Service Provider. For example, a DFS-licensed independent agent that works with multiple insurance companies is a Covered Entity with its own obligation to establish and maintain a cybersecurity program designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of its Information Systems and Nonpublic Information.

Accordingly, Covered Entities are requested to notify the Department of those unsuccessful attacks that appear particularly significant based on the Covered Entity’s understanding of the risks it faces. For example, in making a judgment as to whether a particular unsuccessful attack should be reported, a Covered Entity might consider whether handling the attack required measures or resources well beyond those ordinarily used by the Covered Entity, like exceptional attention by senior personnel or the adoption of extraordinary non-routine precautionary steps. Medical devices are increasingly connected to the Internet, hospital networks, and other medical devices to provide features that improve health care and increase the ability of health care providers to treat patients. Medical devices, like other computer systems, can be vulnerable to security breaches, potentially impacting the safety and effectiveness of the device. Threats to the nation's critical infrastructures and the information technology systems that support them require a concerted effort among federal agencies; state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; and the private sector to ensure their security. The seriousness of the threat was reinforced by the December 2020 discovery of a cyberattack that has had widespread impact on government agencies, critical infrastructures, and private-sector companies.

Effective continuous monitoring generally has the ability to continuously, on an ongoing basis, detect changes or activities within a Covered Entity's Information Systems that may create or indicate the existence of cybersecurity vulnerabilities or malicious activity. In contrast, non-continuous monitoring of Information Systems, such as through periodic manual review of logs and firewall configurations, would not be considered to constitute "effective continuous monitoring" for purposes of 23 NYCRR 500.5. Effective March 1, 2017, the Superintendent of Financial Services promulgated23 NYCRR Part 500, a regulation establishing cybersecurity requirements for financial services companies (referred to below as “the Cybersecurity Regulation” or “Part 500”).

Bridget Beans leads the Integrated Operations Division for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency . IOD focuses integrated operations across the Agency extending to Regional CISA elements, intelligence, operational planning and mission execution with focus on risk mitigation and response efforts. Ms. Easterly was nominated by President Biden in April 2021 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate on July 12, 2021.

" Metrics.-If the Secretary works with a consortium under subsection , the Secretary shall measure the effectiveness of the activities undertaken by the consortium under this Act. " The participation in such consortium of one or more historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, other minority-serving institutions, and community colleges that participate in the National Centers of Excellence in Cybersecurity program, as carried out by the Department of Homeland Security. Conducting a privacy impact assessment of proposed rules of the Agency on the privacy of personal information, including the type of personal information collected and the number of people affected. Analysts under this subsection shall possess security clearances appropriate for their work under this section. To ensure that any material received pursuant to this chapter is protected from unauthorized disclosure and handled and used only for the performance of official duties.