According to the National Association of Chief Information Officers and Deloitte’s 2024 biannual cybersecurity study, there are serious worries about cybersecurity among U.S. state governments. The survey, which included responses from Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, revealed that 86% of CISOs are experiencing increased responsibilities. However, over one-third need a dedicated cybersecurity budget, with four states allocating less than 1% of their IT budgets to this critical area. As the reliance on digital infrastructure grows, CISOs are faced with an expanding attack surface, necessitating a resilient response to evolving cyber threats.

The survey further underscores the implications of generative artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, with 71% of CISOs acknowledging a high risk of AI-enabled threats. Despite this, 21 respondents are already leveraging GenAI tools to enhance security operations, and an additional 22 plan to implement such measures within the next year. The report indicates a shift in resource allocation, with a reduction in the percentage of CISOs overseeing fewer than five cybersecurity employees, from 16% in 2020 to just 4% today. As cyber threats continue to escalate, collaboration among state CISOs and their stakeholders becomes increasingly vital.

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