New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her state had received $9 million in federal grants to support the delivery of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) hard tokens to counties, municipalities, school districts and public authorities across the state.
MFA requires two or more proofs of identity to thwart cyberattackers from accessing private accounts.
“Cyber threats are everywhere and with the important role technology plays in our day-to-day lives, it is crucial that organizations have the resources they need to keep themselves safe,” Hochul said. “These tokens will go a long way in supporting our partners and making our state safer overall. We will not wait for an attack to expose vulnerabilities – we are acting now to strengthen our defenses across the state.”
Funding for the program is from the Combined FY 2022 and FY 2023 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, a federal program managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The program works to strengthen cybersecurity practices as well as state, local and territorial government resilience.
Hochul said New York’s Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), the New York State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Planning Committee, and the New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will coordinate the program, while ITS will administrate it.
“Governor Hochul is making it clear: cybersecurity is a top priority for every level of government in New York,” New York State Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern said. “By delivering these MFA tokens, we are providing 161 local partners with a proven, physical layer of security that stops unauthorized access in its tracks. This is a practical, high-impact investment that protects our essential services and strengthens the entire state’s digital footprint.”