July 9, 2020 at 11 a.m. EDT

Moderator: Ha McNeill, Software.org: the BSA Foundation

In collaboration with NASCIO and the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, BSA | The Software Alliance hosts a virtual briefing about the risks and opportunities in decisions about investing in government IT.

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. Samantha F. Ravich, Commissioner, Cyberspace Solarium Commission
• Calvin C. Rhodes, Chief Information Officer, State of Georgia
• Ervan D. Rodgers II, Chief Information Officer, State of Ohio

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted major gaps in government IT infrastructure at all levels. Outdated systems and insufficient infrastructure have hampered governments in providing urgently needed citizen services such as processing unemployment benefits, applications for loans, and other vital services and assistance. Moreover, legacy IT creates cybersecurity vulnerabilities that malicious and government-sponsored actors have routinely exploited to unleash a wave of ransomware and other attacks on government systems.

To respond to these challenges, Members of Congress are considering whether to provide significant funding to invest now in upgrading critical information technology at the state and local levels, including by incentivizing migration to more secure and adaptable platforms. As state governments are the primary mechanisms for delivering federal benefits to individuals, the role of federal funding for state systems to administer those benefits is key. Smart investments can address significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities and make governments fundamentally more effective.