The National Guard is working with Louisiana and Texas authorities to conduct assessments following ransomware attacks to the states’ information technology systems in the commercial, financial and educational sectors, FCW reported Wednesday. 

Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said at a press briefing that the National Guard may opt to expand its pilot cybersecurity program which is expected to run for six to eight additional months. The program involves the deployment of cyber mission assurance teams in Hawaii, Ohio and Washington that handle the assessment of federal installations to mitigate vulnerabilities that result from relying on outside utilities.

“We have skill sets already in place that do cyber analysis of vulnerabilities of various critical infrastructure,” he said. “Standardization between state emergency response operations is needed to properly address and prevent cyber attacks,” Lengyel added.