Governor Mikie Sherrill on Monday highlighted free cybersecurity resources available to municipalities, schools and other public entities across New Jersey, urging local governments to take advantage of the state’s round-the-clock cyber defense program.

The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) provides participating public agencies with real-time threat intelligence, cybersecurity risk assessments, incident response assistance, training and enterprise-grade security tools at no cost.

“My job is to make sure New Jersey is prepared, protected, and educated on the threats we face,” Sherrill said. “New Jersey has cutting-edge cybersecurity tools and infrastructure, and every local government entity in this state has access to that advantage at no cost.”

The program currently serves more than 200 municipalities and provides 24/7 monitoring of networks and systems, proactive searches for cyber threats and alerts about emerging risks. NJCCIC also assists local agencies during cyberattacks in coordination with New Jersey State Police and federal partners.

The resources are available to New Jersey counties, municipalities, municipal utilities, K-12 public schools and community colleges.

State Chief Information Security Officer and NJCCIC Director Michael Geraghty said the program is intended to ensure local agencies do not have to confront major cyber threats on their own.

“We bridge the gap between local, state, and federal resources so that no county, town, or school has to face a cyber threat alone,” Geraghty said. “The more local government entities enrolled, the stronger New Jersey’s collective defense becomes.”

The program is funded through a combination of state and federal grants.

Local governments and other eligible public organizations can enroll for free here:
cyber.nj.gov/connect/njccic-membership

Information on cybersecurity grants and additional resources:
cyber.nj.gov/grants-and-resources

Cybersecurity incidents can be reported here:
cyber.nj.gov/report