Timilty Holds National Guard Cybersecurity Briefing in Braintree

BRAINTREE, MA – State Senator Walter F. Timilty, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee of Public Safety and Homeland Security, hosted a cybersecurity briefing at the Braintree Armory offered by the Massachusetts National Guard for the municipalities of the Norfolk, Bristol, and Plymouth District on Wednesday, March 30.

Timilty said that by engaging the cyber force of the Massachusetts National Guard, cities and towns within the Commonwealth will be able to defend themselves against and triage a cyber crisis.

“The National Guard is in a position to support our municipalities in upholding critical infrastructure,” Timilty said. “We have seen cities and towns, as well as other government agencies, hit, very recently, by malicious hackers. It is my hope that by introducing city and town leaders to the Massachusetts National Guard cyber team, that we can eliminate the risk of dangerous and expensive cyber-attacks.”

Massachusetts Adjutant General Gary W. Keefe welcomed the attendees and Lieutenant Colonel Karmin Ng, chief information officer, provided the briefing on the cyber security services that the National Guard offers.

In recent years, the National Guard has become a first responder to cyberattacks and is serving on the frontlines of the digital domain.

Invited municipal leaders included select board members, town council members, information technology directors, school superintendents, and town managers from Avon, Braintree, Canton, Easton, East Bridgewater, Milton, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater.